A ruckus on Christmas Eve between several miners at Nassano Backdam, North West District, ended with two fatalities and two persons being injured, police reported yesterday.
Wanted bulletins have been issued for two suspects.
The deceased have been identified as Sherwin Goddett, a 29-year-old gold miner of Dredge Creek in the Upper Pomeroon, and Shawn France, a 21-year-old gold miner from Akawini Creek, Pomeroon. The injured men have been identified as Devor Stohl called ‘Jubbu’, and Hosea Sandy.
The report of the double murder comes 11 days after the act was committed and was only issued after persistent queries from the media subsequent to the release of the wanted bulletins.
Police Commander of Region One, Superintendent Boodnarine Persaud, explained that the location is some 80 miles from the main road and required a helicopter to access the site. However, since the chopper was unavailable, ranks had to use the trail which posed some challenges and an officer was forced to swim across the creek after a bridge was washed away due to the high waters in the area.
As the probe deepens, police yesterday issued bulletins for Thomas Kyte called ‘Taco’, 36 of Matthews Ridge, North West District, Region One; and 50-year-old Kurtland Damon called ‘Cartoe’, of Pomeroon, Region Two and Friendship on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), Region Four. The men are wanted for questioning in relation to the murders.
A miner, Daniel Beck, who was among the group in the ruckus, told investigators that Damon, who is Stohl’s father, and Thomas Kyte attacked them while they were walking back to their camp. In the attack, the two men in retaliation stabbed Sandy about his back and left arm and fatally stabbed Goddette and France.
According to the police report, on Christmas Eve, the victims left their camp at around 11 am and went to Indra’s Shop at the landing and purchased five bottles of Black Stone rum.
At about 10.30 pm that night France reportedly had a heated argument with Marie Welcome, a bartender at the shop, over a bottle of champagne. During the argument, he became angry and threw the bottle to the ground.
At this point a scuffle ensued and France armed with a pair of scissors began attacking everybody in the shop. In his rage, he attempted to stab Alvon Claus, a 35-year-old gold miner, who is also a licensed firearm holder of a .32 Taurus pistol.
Claus, in a bid to save himself, discharged a single round in the air after which the fighting ceased.
Stohl sustained a cut to his abdomen which caused his intestines to protrude. On Christmas Day he was air-dashed to the George-town Public Hospital for emergency medical attention and was admitted.
A report was made at the Port Kaituma Police Sta-tion following the attack and ranks visited the area. On arrival they observed the bodies identified as Goddette and France lying motionless, face-up, about 15 feet apart. France was shirtless and both bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition.
The ranks later buried the bodies and marked the general location of the graves with a view to later exhumation.
Checks were made for the suspects at Grant Back-dam, North West District on Thursday last but those efforts proved futile.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Kyte and Damon is asked to contact the police on 226-6978, 225-8196, 265-2233, 265-2222, 227-1149 or the nearest police station.
