Investigators have made a breakthrough in their probe into the murder of Shimron Adams, the businessman who was shot during a robbery at his Lodge establishment on Monday night.
This was confirmed by Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum who told Stabroek News yesterday that the two suspects: Andrew Ridley and Akelow Marshall, 20, of Independence Boulevard, East La Penitence are currently in police custody.
Ridley was arrested on Wednesday afternoon and is known to the police. He was charged with several counts of armed robbery in the past. Just last month, the police had issued a wanted bulletin for him in relation to the murder of labourer, Dexter McFarlene.
Meanwhile, the police acting on information received yesterday afternoon apprehended Marshall at the Berbice Bridge Road. At the time, he was enroute to Springlands and reportedly had plans to flee to neighbouring Suriname.
Blanhum also confirmed that the murder weapon, a 9mm pistol and 9 matching rounds were found under Ridley’s house. Ridley’s hands were swabbed for gun powder residue.
According to Blanhum, investigators made headway in the case after they obtained a detailed statement from the female who was in company of Adams at the time of his murder. Stabroek News was told that the woman shared a relationship with Ridley.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that days before the murder, Ridley became annoyed and threatened to rob Adams after he saw messages and photographs on the female’s phone shared between her and Adams.
This newspaper was told that the female pleaded with Ridley not to do it since Adams was “good” to her, but he persisted and took possession of her cellular phone.
Reports are that on the morning of the killing, the female asked Ridley for the phone and while he initially refused, he eventually gave it to her.
Investigators were further told that on the night of the murder, while the female was with Adams at his business place, Ridley and Marshall entered through a shutter. They were armed with handguns and ordered the female and Adams to lie on the ground. They complied after which Ridley and his accomplice proceeded to rob Adams of the gold band and ring he was wearing.
Adams then got up and Ridley held onto a bag he was carrying. A scuffle ensued between Adams and Ridley during which Ridley discharged a round which struck Adams.
Ridley then relieved Adams of his bag and took away the female’s phone before he fled the scene.
The incident occurred around 23.40 hours as Adams, 41, a businessman of Kaneville, Grove, East Bank Demerara was about to lock up his D’Urban and Chapel streets, Lodge establishment.
The businessman was picked up by Police ranks from the Anti-Crime patrol and escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Adams operated a wholesale and retail business where alcoholic beverages were sold at the bottom flat of the three-storey concrete building located on the south-western side of D’Urban and Chapel streets.
Police recovered one 9mm spent shell along with a warhead at the scene.
