A sizeable crowd yesterday braved the rainy weather to pay their last respects to 25-year-old Shenese Richardson-Austin who was stabbed 13 times when gunmen invaded her Lot 502 West Ruimveldt home on Sunday.

Shenese Richardson-Austin

The viewing was held under a huge tent that had been erected on the road in front of her home. This was followed by the funeral service held at the same location.
Her body was subsequently interred at the Le Repentir cemetery.
Relatives had said that while the men escaped with gold jewellery and an undisclosed amount of cash, they were convinced that the gunmen were sent to kill Richardson-Austin, judging from the way they operated.

Relatives had recounted years of abuse the woman suffered at the hands of her husband of three years. She relocated to her mother’s residence four months ago and it was from there that she operated her hairdressing business.

According to relatives, the man made threats, kidnapped her and would publicly hit and confront her.
British High Commissioner Fraser Wheeler had revealed on Thursday that at the time of her death she was being counselled by Help and Shelter and said that he was appalled at the “frenzied knife attack”.

He had pointed out that sadly such a case is not unusual in Guyana.
At the time Wheeler was speaking at a handing over ceremony of four computers to Help and Shelter to boost their capacity to help protect women and children from violence and abuse.

The friends and relatives of murdered hairdresser, Shenese Richardson-Austin gathered in front of her home for the viewing and funeral service yesterday. (Jules Gibson photo)

The woman’s husband was held hours after the incident but was later released on station bail.