Police have arrested a third person in connection with the murders of Pandit Deonarine Liliah, 61 and his son, Gopaul, who were found dead in their Craig Street, Campbellville home.
Guyana Police Force spokesman Jairam Ramlakhan confirmed the arrest yesterday, while noting that police are making progress with the investigation. Questioned on whether the arrest represented a possible breakthrough, Ramlakhan indicated that he was not in a position to say.
The decomposed bodies of the Liliahs, bearing multiple stab wounds, were discovered on Tuesday. Autopsies have revealed that they both died as a result of multiple stab wounds.
Stabroek News had previously reported that two men, including a person of interest, were arrested. The second man to be held, who was arrested on Wednesday, reportedly had two cell phones belonging to the victims in his possession, police sources told Stabroek News.
The second detainee had told police that he bought the phones from a person fitting the description of the suspect that was arrested on Tuesday, hours after the discovery.
It is suspected that the men were killed during a robbery. They were both last seen alive last Saturday morning.
While there were no signs of forced entry into the house, investigators have managed to obtain CCTV footage which shows a male scaling the western fence of the house and entering the home through the northern door.
The man had in his possession two bulky bags and a bucket. This individual is suspected to be the first man who was arrested.
The bodies were discovered after the Liliahs’ tenant, Leewattie Ganpat, 40, a home aid worker, reported that a strong stench was emanating from the upper flat of the house.
As a result, police went to the house and found the father and son each lying in pools of blood.
Deonarine and Gopaul were last seen alive around 6 am on Saturday by Ganpat, when they had a conversation in the yard. The woman told police that later that night she heard footsteps in the upper flat of the house. At the same time, she said that she was using the internet when it was suddenly abruptly disconnected.
The Liliahs were laid to rest yesterday.
