More than a year after Orpheus Johnson was charged with the murder of Nandy Park miner Travis Rudder, a date for the beginning of the preliminary inquiry into the charge has finally been set.
On September 8, the PI into the murder charge will commence before Magistrate Judy Latchman.
On July 13, 2015, Johnson appeared before the now Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan where he was read six charges, including armed robbery, break and entry and gun and ammunition possession. Additionally, he was read two charges of murder, the first alleging that on April 22, 2015, at Agricola, East Bank Demerara, he murdered Gladstone George, who was shot to death execution-style aboard a minibus in full view of several passengers at Agricola, East Bank Demerara last year.
Johnson was committed to stand trial for George’s murder a little over two weeks ago.
The second murder charge alleges that on June 21, 2015, Johnson murdered Rudder, 26, at his home in Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara.
Rudder was killed in 2105 after shots fired through his bedroom window hit him, his fiancée and their 18-month-old son. Rudder was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, while his fiancée, Mawanza Gill, who was shot seven times in the leg, sustained several broken bones. The child was shot to his abdomen.
Johnson had previously been charged with the murder of Kaneville resident Brendon Charles in 2009. It was alleged that between April 7 and April 8, 2009, at Kaneville, Johnson murdered Charles, whose body was discovered in a yard several streets away from his Lot 914 Fourth Field, Kaneville home.
In October, 2013, Johnson was freed in the High Court by Justice James Bovell-Drakes after a no-case submission was upheld in his favour.
