The post-mortem results for Alexis Roxanne Harris, a 29-year-old farmer of Hill Foot, Soesdyke-Linden Highway revealed yesterday that she died from a stab wound to the heart.
Her suspected assailant, her reputed husband, James Lord remains in hospital after reportedly inflicting wounds upon himself on Saturday.
The deceased’s sister, Abiola Harris told the Stabroek News yesterday that she had learnt that her sister had suffered fifteen long years of abuse at the hands of her reputed husband. She explained that her sister had left her husband’s Soesdyke-Linden home last June month end unknowing to him and came to live with her because he had threatened to kill her. Abiola related that that was not the first time her sister left her husband as it was customary that when he consumed alcohol he would abuse her including chasing her down with a cutlass and kicking her. But Abiola said her sister would leave Lord only to take him back.
Once in 2022, Abiola said Alexis left Lord but using the children as his excuse, he (Lord) begged Alexis and she took him back. After the abuse restarted, the matter was heard in court but after Alexis took him back. In June, Abiola said Alexis was again threatened by Lord but this time she left leaving the children with Lord and went to her (Abiola) house. Abiola relayed that Alexis took out a restraining order against Lord which lasted for a year. She added that, “My husband and I decided to help support her. She eventually took up the farming work like us and was able to support herself.”
But recently, Abiola said Lord called Alexis using profane language saying that he will not take care of the children so she decided to let him send the children to live with her. On one occasion, Abiola said that Lord visited her sister and gave her sister $15000 for the children’s support. And before the incident on Sunday, the sister related that Lord had called her sister earlier for permission to visit the children telling her that he was bringing their support money, a condition to which Alexis agreed to the visit. On Sunday, Abiola said Lord visited but during the time he spent there she didn’t see him hand her sister any money. She added that during the time Lord was there everyone was chatting peacefully and there was no sign of any planned violence.
Abiola said that she saw Lord drink three beers under her bottom house after which her sister left and went upstairs to her room and she saw Lord later follow her. Abiola said sometime after she saw her sister come out of the house and sit on the stairs next to her husband. She overheard Alexis saying that Lord lashed her phone out of her hands and broke it. Abiola said her husband told Lord to get out of the yard. Abiola said that when Lord walked toward his bag, she thought he was going out of the yard but instead he reached into his bag and stabbed her sister. She said she immediately got up to try and help her sister but Lord turned the knife towards her. She pulled back and her sister ran and fell down beside the water tank located at the side of her yard where she died.
The deceased’s mother, Nazima, who lives a few houses away said that she can’t really say what happened since she was at Vreed-en-Hoop when the incident occurred but was waiting for the police to take action and put the suspect behind bars. The family is calling for assistance for the funeral and help in any way to take care of Alexis’s four children. Alexis leaves to mourn three girls, 12, 11 and 5 years-old and an 8-year-old boy.
