While the motive remains unknown, police have arrested and are questioning two city students in relation to the murder of Government Technical Institute (GTI) student, Samuel Grannum, who was brutally beaten and robbed last Friday.
This was confirmed by Police Commander of Region 4A, Simon McBean who told Stabroek News that as the investigation continues, several other suspects are being pursued.
“Based on our footage, based on how information coming to us, we are extending our investigation,” McBean said.
McBean noted that the suspects in custody are both students of a city school. They do not attend GTI, he said.
As of last night, McBean said investigators were working to determine the motive for Grannum’s murder. “We are working around that…We are trying to get to the motive as to what went on,” he told Stabroek News. Police on Tuesday issued a wanted bulletin for Keron Taylor also called ‘Laro’ in relation to the crime.
Taylor, whose last known address is Lot 83 Adelaide Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, is yet to be apprehended.
Taylor is known to the police as he spent five years behind bars over the murder of Senassie Lewis who was shot at a bar in Albouystown in 2015. He was released from prison in 2020.
Reports revealed that 19-year-old Grannum of Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara (WBD) was attacked at about 3 pm last Friday while he was liming with a friend at the Route 45 bus park on Croal Street.
He succumbed to his injuries on Monday at about 1:35 pm at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.
An autopsy yesterday revealed that Grannum died as a result of blunt trauma to the head and fractured skull.
The dead teen’s aunt, Marcia Grannum had previously explained to this newspaper what she had learnt of the entire ordeal.
“…He was sitting with a friend. According to the friend, he heard something. I don’t know what he heard but he said to my nephew, ‘Grannum run’. So my nephew like he was shock. He didn’t know why he was running. So the friend ran and the guys, they caught up with both of them [Samuel and his friend]. He [the friend] got his [injuries] on his hand and my nephew [Samuel], they surrounded him,” she said.
Marcia had said that she believed that the attack occurred as a result of her nephew being mistaken for someone else.
After Grannum was picked up and initially transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital, the family said that he received no medical attention from staff there. They were told that eight other persons were in front of Grannum and that he had to wait. As such, he was eventually taken to St Joseph Mercy Hospital where he immediately received medical treatment.
“When we told the doctor of his injuries, we didn’t know but we told him of the blows he would have received and they start running emergency tests and so on,” Marcia said.
“Then is when we found out that his brain was damaged to some extent. He sustained a fractured skull. His skull was fractured in two places. His ribs I think was broken and his body was severely battered. You could see all the marks how they hit him and he’s very slim mind you….Very little for 19-year-old,” she explained.
