A Brazilian national is in police custody assisting with investigations as the lawmen probe the death of the man’s brother-in-law in what appears to be a case of suicide.

Errol John Phillips, 19, of Laluni Street, Queenstown succumbed in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) at about 3:25 pm yesterday after he sustained a gunshot wound to the head following an apparent bid to kill himself.

According to a police press release investigations revealed that Phillips resided with his brother-in-law, who is a Brazilian national and who owns a mining company. Phillips also works with the company.

Police said that the Brazilian national returned home from the interior at about 2 pm on Saturday and found a quantity of gold that he had in his room missing. Upon being questioned Phillips allegedly admitted taking the gold and he was threatened that the matter would be reported to the police and his family informed if he did not return it.

The brother-in-law reportedly left the home and upon his return at about 9 pm on Saturday night, he found Phillips lying in his bed with a gunshot wound to his head and an unlicensed 9mm pistol nearby. Hospital sources said that Phillips arrived at the institution at about 9:50 pm on Saturday night with a gunshot wound to the left side of his head. After being seen by a doctor he was admitted in a critical condition to the medical institution but succumbed to the injury yesterday afternoon.

The police retrieved the firearm, nine live 9mm rounds and a 9mm spent shell. The lawmen took the brother-in-law into custody to assist with investigations.