There were 23 murders during the last two months of last year.
In November, 13 persons were killed, while up to the 30th of December, there were ten murders, the majority of which took place in ‘E&F’ Division, according to Stabroek News’ records.
The first murder victim in December was Rawletta Onika Greaves, 33, who was fatally beaten to death with a piece of nail-filled allegedly wood by her father. The incident occurred during an argument that ensued between the two about an iron. The woman’s father has since been charged.
On the following day, miner Cleveland Smithet, 40, of Kuru Kururu, was fatally shot during an armed robbery at Five Star Backdam, in the North West District. His brother, Trevor Smithet, who was with him at the time of the incident, was also shot but escaped with minor injuries. To date, no one has been charged.
On December 14, another miner was killed in the North West District. Carl Francis, 24, of Dog Point Essequibo, was fatally stabbed during a drunken brawl at Issano Backdam. His assailant has since been charged.
Two days after, Quacy Grey, 26, of Corentyne, Berbice met his demise after he allegedly slapped his assailant who had accused him of being a police informant. It was reported that the recipient of the slap then retaliated by plunging a pair of scissors into Grey’s chest. The suspect remains on the run.
The village of Unity, Mahaica was on December 18 puzzled by the discovery of farmer Ramlogan Singh, 73, whose body was found in his bed, with his hands and feet bound. Though the murder remains a mystery in the village, police see the motive as that of robbery and are on the lookout for a known character in connection with the incident.
Yet another drinking spree turned sour in the North West District on December 20, ending in the death of 25-year-old Jermaine McKenzie. According to reports, McKenzie, a pork knocker at Blue Mountain, Mazaruni River, was among a group of persons drinking when an argument broke out, during which he was fatally stabbed by another man. The suspect fled the scene but was a few days later arrested and charged.
Madhuri Padumdeo, a 22-year-old mother of one, was on December 22 found in a nude state with her husband, allegedly turned killer, lying asleep next to her. Reports revealed that the cane juice vendor was spending some time at the couple’s Lot 8 North Sophia home, when a heated argument ensued between the two, during which Padumdeo was strangled. Her husband has since been arrested and charged.
Christmas Eve Day saw three persons being murdered in three different parts of the country. The first was Beer Garden owner Karen Reid, 45, who was discovered lying in a pool of blood in her home aback of the shop. Since the house was also ransacked, investigators have since surmised that the motive was robbery. No one has since been arrested.
Also, 43-year-old miner and father of five Oscar De Roche was shot and killed after he was involved in an argument with another man the same day. The suspect has since been charged. The other murder victim on that day was Corentyne Fireman Delon Collins, who was shot dead during a robbery at his home in Alness, Corentyne. His killer is still on the loose.
