As the probe into the murder of farmer Anthony Breedy continues, investigators on Thursday evening recovered a bloodstained shirt belonging to the prime suspect, hours after his two accomplices were arrested at Ithaca, West Bank Berbice.
A total of five persons are now in custody for the crime.
They are the alleged mastermind, his girlfriend, two accomplices and a man who reportedly received some of the stolen items belonging to Breedy. An additional man was also held following the discovery of a firearm.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Stabroek News that on Thursday evening, acting on information received, ranks from Georgetown collaborating with those from Berbice went to Ithaca to arrest the men. Blanhum said that information had surfaced about the men being armed and the assistance of the SWAT team was requested. The police eventually managed to arrest both suspects, who were hiding in some bushes in an empty lot.
The men were called upon to surrender and obliged.
They were questioned about a firearm and they informed ranks that they gave another individual the firearm. The police were taken to the individual, who was arrested, and the firearm was recovered.
The fifth suspect, who sells at the Stabroek Market, was held yesterday and is currently in police custody assisting in recovering some of the stolen items.
Stabroek News understands that the man received and sold some of the property stolen from Breedy.
Meanwhile, the bloodstained shirt of the prime suspect, which he left at his girlfriend’s residence, was discovered in the garbage. Although he had given instructions for her to dispose of it by burning, she threw it in the bin, this newspaper was told.
On Tuesday, the 28-year-old prime suspect, who hails from Timehri Hilltop, was arrested at Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara moments after a stolen vehicle belonging to Breedy was recovered.
The following day, his girlfriend was arrested in the vicinity of the Demerara Harbour Bridge while she was making her way to Georgetown. A stolen cellphone was discovered in her possession and a few electrical items that were stolen from Breedy were found in her vehicle.
The police were granted an additional 72 hours to keep the prime suspect in custody on Thursday, Blanhum said, while noting that charges are likely to be laid on Monday.
Breedy was found dead around 11am on Monday in the bottom flat of his Lot 67 Hillfoot, Soesdyke/Linden Highway home. His hands and feet were bound and his head was bashed in. A piece of wood suspected to be the murder weapon was found at the scene.
The police, in a press release, had said there were multiple injuries to his head, while the upper flat of his house was ransacked.
Breedy was last seen alive at around 2pm on Saturday.
On Monday, a friend visited to take some fruits for him and found him lying motionless on the bottom flat with blood about his body. A bed sheet had been used to bind his hands and feet. There was no indication of forced entry into the house.
A post-mortem examination performed on his remains revealed that he died as a result of asphyxia due to manual strangulation compounded by multiple blunt trauma to the head.
The prime suspect had told investigators that he recently met Breedy at a bar in Timehri, where they became friends. He also reportedly gave a detailed description of what transpired last Saturday evening, before Breedy was killed.
A reliable source informed this newspaper that the suspect contacted Breedy on Saturday night to enquire about his whereabouts and was told that he was at a bar at Timehri. As a result, they met there and subsequently left for Breedy’s house. The suspect reportedly admitted that arrangements were already made with his two accomplices, who were hiding behind a mango tree outside the premises.
The suspect reportedly indicated to them that he would call their phone, which would be a signal to enter the house and rob Breedy before murdering him.
Thereafter, the suspect went into the house with Breedy, where he consumed three bottles of Guinness and then called his accomplices, who entered the home. It was at this point in time that the trio started to beat Breedy and then tied him up. They then ransacked the house, during which a quantity of household and electrical appliances were carted off.
The men then took the keys to Breedy’s Toyota Suzuki vehicle and drove to Bagotville, West Bank Demerara, where the main suspect’s girlfriend resides, to drop off a few of the stolen items.
They then left and went to a house in South Ruimveldt, where the trio split the loot, including a small quantity of money, before sleeping until Sunday morning. The two accomplices were left behind when the main suspect left to try to sell the vehicle. However, he was apprehended before he could do so.
Three empty Guinness bottles were recovered by crime scene ranks and taken for DNA testing.
