The DNA samples of 50-year-old Reonol Williams, whose decomposed body was found dumped in a trench in the vicinity of the Coldingen Koker on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) after he was struck down by a taxi driver almost nine months ago, have confirmed that it was the remains of the man.
A release issued by the Guyana Police Force Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum, stated that DNA testing was necessary to confirm the man’s identity due to the body’s badly decomposed state when discovered on June 8 of last year.
On September 19 last, samples of the deceased’s bones were taken along with buccal swab samples from a few family members and were sent overseas for the DNA testing to be conducted, the results of which recently returned with the confirmation.
The post mortem examination which was conducted locally by pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh had revealed that the man died as a result of multiple injuries consistent with a motor vehicle accident.
Williams, also called ‘Ram’, was a construction worker of Lot 5 Church Road, Enmore, ECD. He had been missing for some sixteen days after he was involved in an accident in the wee hours of May 23 2022 when he was returning home from dropping off his younger sister in Georgetown. According to reports, the man had just exited a taxi when he was struck down along the Enmore Estate Road by motorcar PAB 2552. It was said that at the time he was accompanied by a friend who was identified as Davis Peters and who had witnessed the accident.
After the accident, it was said that the driver of the vehicle insisted that he would take Williams to the hospital to seek medical attention but bizarrely, Williams and the driver eventually disappeared.
After realising that Williams was missing for almost two weeks, his family had started to suspect that something was amiss and went in search of answers while demanding justice for the now dead man.
As a result of their constant pleas, a thorough investigation was eventually launched by ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and they had managed to apprehend the driver of the motorcar who was later identified as 53-year-old Daniel Melbourne, a musician of Lot 53 Middle Street, Ann Grove’s, ECD. During their interrogation of Melbourne, he detailed what he had done with Williams and then took the CID ranks to the trench where he had dumped the man’s body.
Stabroek News had reported that Melbourne told ranks that after he struck down Williams, he placed him in his vehicle with the intention of taking him to the hospital. However, as he was driving, he observed him motionless and as a result he stopped his vehicle at a bridge in Coldingen along the railway embankment and disposed of the body in the trench.
He said he then abandoned his vehicle PAB 2552 and took a taxi home. Upon arriving home, he told his mother that his vehicle was missing and she should inform the police.
It was further reported that days after the accident, Melbourne’s car was found in Haslington, ECD with visible spots of blood and no number plates. A photograph taken by an eyewitness at the accident scene allowed traffic ranks to track down the driver.
During the initial stage of the investigation Melbourne was picked out during an identification parade by an eyewitness but was released on station bail.
However after confessing to the crime, Melbourne was slapped with six charges including causing the death of Williams by dangerous driving and was granted bail in the sum of $1.8 million.
