Decomposing body of elderly man found in West La Penitence

Youngsters in the West La Penitence area discovered the decomposing remains of a man in his home yesterday afternoon.

Neighbours have since identified the dead man as Malcolm Griffith who they said was in his mid to late 80s. Griffith was last seen alive by residents last Monday.

The man, according to them, was not well and they believe that he died of natural causes some time early last week.

The man, a neighbour said, suffered from a hearing impairment and usually kept to himself. He lived alone in his Savage Street, West La Penitence, Georgetown home.

“I know this man living in this area for more than 30 years now and after his wife died he used to mostly keep to himself,” the neighbour said.

Since Wednesday, the neighbour recalled, they had been getting “a funny smell”. However, they thought the scent was coming from the nearby cemetery or dump.

“Is this (yesterday) afternoon I realized that I didn’t really see this old man around all week and with the smell I send over some youngsters to call for him,” the neighbour said.

However, when Griffith failed to respond to the shouts and banging on his front door the youths made their way into the house where they discovered his body. The discovery was made some time around 2pm.

“We’re trying to figure out what will happen to him becaause we don’t know who his relatives are or where to find them,” the neighbour said.

When Stabroek News visited the scene just after 3pm police were still present and were awaiting the arrival of attendants from a funeral home. Investigators told this newspaper that based on reports reaching them they believe that Griffith died of natural causes.