Woman, 23, stabbed to death at marital home – allegedly by husband’s girlfriend

A 23-year-old woman was on Sunday night stabbed to death, allegedly by another female, while visiting her New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop marital home. Dead is Iana Hamilton of Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara, who had separated from her husband about two months ago. Police have since detained her husband and the alleged female assailant as investigations continue.

According to reports, Hamilton had gone to the New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop residence on Sunday night where she reportedly had a “scramble” with her husband’s girlfriend. Following the incident, she was transported to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Her body bore a stab wound to the left side of her chest.

Her husband and his 21-year-old girlfriend are in police custody assisting with investigations.

Relatives were in shock over the incident yesterday. According to reports, Hamilton had gone to her husband’s home around 10 pm, when she was confronted by the other woman. They reportedly had a tussle and Hamilton was stabbed.

A neighbour, who asked not to be identified, said she saw Hamilton, “all dressed-up”, entering the yard late that night. A short while later, she said, she saw the police and then learnt what had happened. The incident reportedly occurred under the house, which only has an upper flat. Pools of blood were still visible under the house when this newspaper visited yesterday.

Hamilton’s mother, Ann Pickett told Stabroek News that her daughter, who had returned to live with the family, had left to go out some time after 9 pm on Sunday. She said her daughter did not say where she was heading, just that she was going out on the road. The grieving woman recalled that the last words her daughter had spoken to her were to enquire if they had any ice. Pickett said she later received a call from her daughter’s sister-in-law who told her what had happened.

She did not go to the scene but sent her husband who later informed her that by the time he arrived, the police had taken their daughter’s body to the WDRH.

Pickett yesterday recalled that her daughter and son-in-law had been experiencing marital problems and Iana had moved out of the New Road home about two months ago. The couple had been married for two years. She said even though they were separated, her daughter’s husband still used to visit her even turning up at the home last Saturday to see her.

Relatives said Iana’s husband had had other girlfriends and after being involved in a tussle at her marital home with another one, who was allegedly pregnant for him, Iana had moved out.

Iana was the third of six children. Relatives described her as a quiet but friendly person, who was always smiling. “She was not no rowdy person,” one said.