The bodies of 38-year-old Petrous Latchman-Ross and her 13-year-old daughter, Gabrielle Ross, were discovered at their residence in New Providence, East Bank Demerara earlier today. The discovery has left the community in disbelief and law enforcement authorities scrambling to uncover what led to their demise.
According to the Guyana Police Force, the victims resided in a grilled one-storey wooden and concrete structure, situated within a well-fenced yard. The house had been rented by Hemanchal Latchman, the 58-year-old husband of the deceased Petrous Latchman-Ross. Although Hemanchal had moved out of the property in September 2022, he continued to pay the rent and occasionally visited the house.
In January 2023, Hemanchal visited his wife and daughter and found them to be alive and well. However, on May 31, 2023, around 13:00hrs, when he went to check on them, he received no response despite repeated calls. Growing suspicious, Hemanchal sought the assistance of a neighbour to gain entry into the secured house. Upon entering, they were greeted by a foul odour emanating from inside. Their worst fears were confirmed when they discovered the partially decomposed bodies of Petrous and Gabrielle lying on the ground.
The police were immediately notified and rushed to the scene. Alongside the bodies, investigators found three plastic bottles, one glass bottle containing liquid substances, and two cups. Additionally, two small glass containers containing a whitish substance were recovered from the refrigerator. A note was also discovered in the living room, further adding to the mystery surrounding the tragic incident. To gather crucial evidence, blood samples were taken from the bodies of both deceased.
Undertakers were called to the scene to remove the bodies, which were subsequently taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Parlour. They will remain in cold storage until a post-mortem examination can be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities have interviewed several individuals and gathered statements to piece together the events leading up to this horrific discovery. Despite efforts to locate any CCTV footage from the surrounding area, no cameras were found.
Law enforcement agencies continue their ongoing investigation into this distressing case.
