Murder suspect held on Mandela Avenue

Shawn Thomas
Shawn Thomas

Wanted murder accused, Shawn Thomas called ‘Troy Richards’ was arrested by the Police on Friday.

The police yesterday said that Thomas is accused of the shooting death of Ray Narain at Sand Hill Backdam in Region #7 on 2022/09/22 and has since been on the run.

At about 13:30 hrs on Friday, the deceased’s father Elton Narain who had witnessed the murder, saw the suspect, for whom a wanted bulletin had been issued, at Grill King on Mandela Avenue and alerted the police.

Detectives responded immediately and arrested the suspect. Additionally, the suspect has a commitment warrant for two years imprisonment for Unlawful possession of Firearm/Ammunition.

In a statement on the murder in September 2022,  the GPF had said that Narain, of Spring Garden on the Essequibo Coast, was fatally wounded when Thomas and another man opened fire on him and his twin brother, Ron Keme Narine, and 30-year-old Rakesh Chunilall, a miner of Goed Bananen Land, Berbice. While Ray Narain died, his brother and Chunilall were wounded in the attack.

It was noted that Narain was shot twice in his chest and his body was found covered with several branches. There were also lacerations to his abdomen and shoulder. Ron Narain  was shot in his right arm while Chunilall suffered a single gunshot wound to his abdomen.

It is suspected that the shooting stemmed from an altercation Ron and one of the suspects had on Saturday, September 17, during which Ron relieved the man of a firearm and ammunition.

The police said that Ron related that around 23.30hrs, he and his brother left their mining operation and went to Sand Hill Landing, Cuyuni River. He said while they were sitting on the front step of a shop, the suspects rode up on an XR motorcycle.

“The suspects dismounted the motorcycle, hurriedly walked towards their direction with what appeared to be handguns and started to discharge several rounds in their direction,” the police said.

While the twin brothers ran to escape, the suspects continued to shoot at them. Ray collapsed. However, Ron said he continued running and sought refuge in some bushes where he remained for some two hours. Upon emerging from his hiding place, he said he saw Ray’s lifeless body on the roadway.

Meanwhile, Chunilall had told investigators that the suspects passed him on a motorcycle and parked in a dark area. Thereafter, Chunilall said he saw the suspects approaching the brothers and pointing what appeared to be handguns at them.

Afterwards, he heard loud explosions which sounded like gunshots. Upon hearing that, Chunilall said he and other persons who were at the shop ran. It was while running that he felt a pain in his abdomen.

Chunilall fell to the ground and became unconscious.  He was taken to the Bartica Hospital and later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he underwent  emergency surgery.