Police are investigating the murder of Chardson Ernest, a 40-year-old farmer of Fly Hill, North Rupununi, which occurred at about 03:30 hrs yesterday at Fly Hill, Region Nine.
Investigations revealed that the victim is the nephew of the 47-year-old suspect, and they lived in the same neighbourhood (Fly Hill).
On Wednesday last, at about 20:00hrs, the victim, along with the suspect, the suspect’s 57-year-old brother and a 22-year-old farmer (the victim’s nephew), were all consuming Black Stone rum at a street corner, about 50 meters from their home.
At about 22:00hrs on Wednesday night, the 22-year-old farmer left and went home, leaving the victim, the suspect, and the suspect’s brother still imbibing at the same location.
At about 02:00 hrs the following morning (Thursday), the 22-year-old said he was awoken by a loud noise. He overheard a heated argument between the victim and the two brothers. The brothers accused the victim of stealing their cows.
At about 02:30 hrs, the victim walked away from the brothers and went home. There, he sat on a bench on the outer part of his one-storey flat house, after which he (the 22-year-old nephew) retired back to bed.
At approximately 03:30hrs, the 22-year-old was again awoken by the victim’s voice as he shouted for help. The 22-year-old said he rushed out of the house to the victim’s assistance but saw him collapsed to the ground and the suspect walking away from the yard with a knife in his hand.
The 22-year-old said he immediately took away the knife from the suspect, who then made good his escape. Police are looking presently looking for the suspect.
The victim’s body is at the Lethem Regional Hospital’s mortuary, awaiting a Post-Mortem Examination.
