Woman slain by gunman
A stop on the Agricola public road to fix a problem yesterday morning turned tragic when a gunman fatally shot a 27-year-old woman after she refused to hand over a bag containing more than $100,000.
Melissa Payne
Dead is Melissa Payne of Lot 56 Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara who sustained a single gunshot wound under her right armpit. Her reputed husband John Fraser also known as David Fraser escaped unhurt but collapsed on hearing of Payne’s death and had to be hospitalised.
The couple was proceeding to Georgetown when they were forced to stop shortly after 8 am when the canter they were in encountered a mechanical problem.
Within minutes and while Fraser, a contractor, was attempting to fix the problem, gunmen who were standing in an old shop across the road came over and menaced them.
One approached Fraser, another went to the woman and the third acted as a lookout. Fraser managed to run into oncoming traffic but Payne was unlucky as a gun had already been pressed against her side and she was commanded to hand over the handbag she was clutching.
From all accounts, the woman attempted to escape and was shot in the process while the men fled through a nearby alleyway with the bag and two gold chains she was wearing at the time.
According to information reaching this newspaper, Fraser had recounted that he was attempting to fix his vehicle when a “big man” with a handkerchief over his nose came up and pressed a gun to his head.
While running away he instructed Payne who was standing a short distance away to hand over the bag and run. However one of the bandits was standing next to the woman and he grabbed her. It was while she was trying to slip away from the bandit that she was shot. Fraser recounted too that he ran up the road and the gunmen shot at him and then ran into a shop across the road.
Eyewitness accounts of what transpired were slightly different. On a visit to the scene, things were calm and the canter truck had already been removed by the police.
This newspaper noticed two van loads of heavily armed policemen coming out of the road leading to the back of the village. A man was in the tray of one of the vehicles. This newspaper could not ascertain if the man was a suspect in the incident but according to reports the three men are known criminals who would attack unsuspecting villagers late at night. They would hide out in an old shop at the entrance of the street and would pounce on persons as they passed, robbing them of valuables and in some cases carrying out sexual assaults. Two of the youths are living in the Agricola while the third is from a community farther up the East Bank but spends lots of time in the village.
“Them man
been watching”
Residents recalled that the canter stopped on the public road between two shops and one of the front seats was pushed forwards in order for Fraser to fix a problem.
Stabroek News was told that the woman was standing a few feet away clutching a bag that was around her shoulder and she was acting uneasy. Residents said that from the way she was behaving the three thieves who were watching on from the shop across the road may have suspected that she had valuables in the bag and in addition she was wearing gold bangles and chains.
Persons recalled seeing the men walking across to the canter, two walked towards the couple while the other took up a position a short distance away.
When one approached Fraser, he immediately ran into the early morning heavy traffic and the woman attempted to run down a nearby alleyway. However she only managed to flee a few feet when a gun was pressed against her side. Reports are that the woman attempted to run but was shot after which the gunman snatched the bag and two gold chains she had on and ran into the village, jumping fences in the process.
Stabroek News was told that none of the men was wearing a mask during the attack.
Following the shooting there was a traffic build-up on the East Bank highway and public-spirited citizens placed the motionless woman in the back of a car which took her to the hospital. There she was pronounced dead on arrival.
The woman’s mother Debora Payne and an aunt were inconsolable when they turned up at the hospital. Debora fainted minutes after she had seen the body of her eldest daughter at the Georgetown Hospital morgue.
Amidst wails the woman said “Who ever did this, they will pay for this. Father God give me strength. Ow Meli, Ow Mel”.
The woman said that she last spoke with Payne on Tuesday about some money she had given to her to bank. Her daughter had promised that she would continue that conversation the following day (yesterday) at home.
Debora recalled that she received a telephone call informing her that her daughter was admitted to the Georgetown Hospital and that she should come immediately. Payne was described by her mother as a kind, loving person.
No faith in police
In light of the rising incidence of gun-related and petty crimes in the East Bank Demerara community residents said that they have lost their confidence in the police as they do not come when there are reports. Instead they would converge on the community when there are “major’ incidents.
According to residents many crimes occur in the village but they do not report them especially since they are being committed by persons who can be easily identified and are around them regularly.
They said that when the wayward youths commit crimes on the public road they flee though alleyways and disappear.
In yesterday morning’s incident police who just happened to be in the area arrived shortly after the incident, but there were no reports reaching Stabroek News of any attempt to track the three men.
One woman said that she had been a victim several times but it makes no sense to report them to the police.
In a release on the incident, police said a warhead was recovered at the scene.
….. Forbes — never thought i’d say that name in my life in a civil discourse — is just a name ,, from ur very expressive thoughts ,, i sense a that u have a handle on the “chickens coming home to roost ” !,, and ,,, but more poignant is that u have individually amongst many ,, put the light to the darkness that is crime in GY !….. ” the seeds of this criminal mentality were sowed a long time ago ,, but not so long for u and i to ,,,honestly call a spade a spade ,, cos it damn sure is not an apple !!!!!!!!
oh ! and it’s ur name and not ur character,,,,, which ultimately is what matters ,,,,,,
this is very sad that hard working people can not walk the street in peace , these guys need to be jailed and , never let out. the police need to be on the street 24/7 so these bandit could see then ,being a police is not a desk job. these people need so protection from the bad guys. put these guys the clean up the town clean the street build roads there is so much things that the law could do with these outlaws, instead paying people put the outlaws to clean up the town .
How complicated is it for the GPF to go undercover and establish decoys in these areas?
A cop in plain clothes with a dangling chain or flashing some dollars should do the trick.
Does the Government need to hire an overseas consultant to figure this out, while Green and company “throw back,” and live large off our taxes?
Stop being reactive GPF, the country is bleeding.
I could be wrong, but the men standing in an old shop could mean that the shop was not in operation! Just another old building that would be a haven for criminals to plan their crimes!! IF the authorities decide to demolish such derelict buildings, then they have another group to answer to!! I AM SADDENED BY THE DEATH OF THIS YOUNG LADY.
Some here speak with both sides of the mouth where the subject of police actions are concerned. They want JS in Agricola but were lamenting and angry at the use of the JS in Buxton.
There are two ways of solving this. First and foremost the opposition leaders who are silent on this crime issue needs to come out and voice their condemnation of it. Their silence lends moral support to these criminals. Secondly the community needs to identify these elements in their midst to the police. There is the anonymous tip-line so none can target them as informers.
THE LION’S ALMIGHTY ROAR!!!
I am not sure if the opposition leaders are DEAF
This violence will continue until ALL guyanese come together and fight this problem. 1.Guyana needs gun control, give eyeryone 30 days to turn all guns in,then anyone caught with a gun gets 5 yrs, commit a crime with a gun10 yrs, kill someone life period. No probation, early release they do day for day.
2.Put the GDF TO WORK place them in all hot spots with help from the police.
3 Put a curfew in place for all minors from2000 hrspmto 0600 hrs am.Stiffer sentences and expedient trials to get them off the street.Create jobs and recreation centers for young people to use. 4.Bring back the rope, stretch their neck until it pops.Thats my point of view and I feel it would work in changing the violence in this GREAT WONDERFUL COUNTRY.
Tyrone Miller, I could not AGREE MORE with you. I guess you need to go home and show them how to perform their duties. I think they need to BRING BACK TO DEATH SQUAD and also they need to ask for help from America and England to come in and show them how to capture and control the crime rate in Guyana. Mr. Miller how about a few of us going back home and getting jobs with the government and show them what is doing a job in a TIMELY MANNER.means. L.O.L.
Same old incidents, why don’t people use their heads,? a breakdown happens, use cell phone call for help, hid e bag in truck, take out needed tools, lock all doors, hide keys elsewhere, go to nearest neighbor or shop, wait there until help arrives.
Why do people have the feelings that it would never happen to them, the work is always “Precautions.”
No one should be trusted in Guyana, this sounds like a setup, someone had to know this woman had that large amount of cash on her, maybe, someone did something to this truck, to create a breakdown.
Something don’t sound right, question the male friend, does he have knowledge of this,? just saying, anything is possible, because of many persons being setup, I don’t trust anyone.
Seems like a plan, don’t worry to jump on me bloggers, this is my feelings concerning this matter.
$100,000 ent no large sum of money . i agree with u she should have hide d bag some where in d truck. her actions sell her out. no 1 else.
My condolences to the Payne family. Saying anything more at this time about the crime situation in Guyana would be a total waste of time and space.
You must be truly smoking some serious high grade ganja in Antigua!
hahahaha, haha i think so too, but he might got a freaky point, who knows…..
My sympathy goes out to the family of the dead woman……….I am speachless, is as if u cannot go no where without being targeted……
Why the police ain’t question the witnesses and try to track down these men and send them to jail for life……..
Something must be done………………..such a pity
Well said Georgetown Girl!
The three attackers were just liming around that old building so they most likely are known to the local people living in the area. They did not know the vehicle would break down at that stretch of road.
The local people should come forward and name these evil people even if they do so in secret.
The main witness ran away, and leave his woman. Like you said, SUCH A PITY. And don’t jail HANG THEM HIGH.
The eyewitnesses will not talk because they are scared they will be next. There is no witness protection program in Guyana, and the police do horable police work.
The media expose the witnesses names and addresses, so who will want to be an eyewitness. I wouldn’t!!!!!