Orlando Fitzgerald and his 17-year-old son Jesse, who were reportedly shot dead by Venezuelan soldiers in the Spanish speaking territory one week ago, were yesterday buried after a simple funeral service at Wauna, North West District (NWD).
The elder Fitzgerald, 52, grew up in the Wauna community, which is close to the Guyana/Venezuela border.
A source close to the family told this newspaper that it was an emotional ceremony and that relatives, including some from Venezuela, were in attendance. They were later buried in the Wauna cemetery.
Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, when contacted, said that local police are still awaiting information about what exactly had transpired. He said earlier that investigators had requested information from their Venezuelan counterparts through Interpol. He said that the only information police have came from relatives and that was that the duo had been shot.
Based on the reports received by this newspaper, the father and son were reportedly shot dead by Venezuelan soldiers after they refused to stop at a checkpoint. Reports suggest that when warning shots were fired at their boat by the soldiers they returned fire.
This newspaper had been told that two other men were in the boat at the time of the shooting but managed to escape unharmed.
According to a source, these two men are the key to the case. The source pointed out that it might be problematic getting to the two men as they are Venezuelan nationals and have since returned to that country. The source said that no one actually knows who they are.
The source said that the men were indeed engaged in robberies and other types of criminal activities. Guyanese from that area also said the men were escaping after robbing several persons in a spree that started since August. Some of the alleged robbery victims have since come forward to tell their stories. However, Marlyn Allick, wife of the dead man and mother of his son has strenuously denied the reports of robbery.
Persons close to the family have expressed disappointment that the elder Fitzgerald took the teen with him when the boy should have been in school.
They noted though that the man’s immediate family members were living in fear of him because of his behaviour. Fitzgerald had three other children with the teen’s mother and two others from previous unions.
