The unidentified body of a woman of East Indian descent was yesterday morning discovered on a dam aback of Harlem, West Coast Demerara close to a rice field with several stab wounds about her body.
According to a release from the police, an investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the death of the woman whose body was discovered around 9 am yesterday. The woman has been described as being between the ages of 25 and 30, of fair complexion, approximately 5’6” in height, medium built and with long black hair. The woman’s body was found clad in a blue ¾ pants, a white top, blue and white brassiere and a pair of brown slippers. Up to press time she had not been identified.
When Stabroek News visited the area yesterday residents could not recall hearing anything suspicious close to area where the body was discovered. They said checks have been made in the village as well as neighbouring villages but no one came forward to identify the woman’s body. Some speculated that she was killed elsewhere and her body dumped alongside the desolate road.
A resident stated that he was informed of the discovery of the woman’s body around 8:30 am yesterday and when he visited the scene a crowd had converged to get a glimpse of the body. Other residents related that there was a wedding reception in the area on Saturday evening a short distance away from where the woman’s body was found but they could not say whether the gruesome discovery was related to that event.
Residents in the area also stated that there was another incident which occurred yesterday morning and which may be related to the incident.
They said a taxi driver informed his relatives that he was robbed and had his vehicle hijacked in the early hours of yesterday morning and he arrived home intoxicated with his clothes muddied. His car was found abandoned at Canal Number 2 after residents in the area observed the vehicle and contacted the taxi service base.
The man then travelled to the taxi service base in the city yesterday and he was subsequently taken into police custody along with several other persons from Harlem for questioning in connection with the discovery of the woman’s body. When contacted last evening, an officer at the Leonora Police station, where the taxi driver’s relative said he was, told Stabroek News that he could not verify whether anyone was being questioned there in connection with the incident.
At the scene blood stains were visible in the grass along the side of the road where the woman‘s body was discovered opposite a dunks tree. At the spot the remains of what appeared to be a man’s chain which had been broken, lay in the grass, and the nearby trench appeared disturbed with several footprints in the shallow side of the trench close to the scene.
The body of the woman is lying at the mortuary of the West Demerara Regional Hospital and the police have since issued a call for anyone who may have information which would lead to the identification of the woman to come forward or to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 225-2227, 268-2298, 268-2222, 268-2343, 911 or the nearest police station.
