Police today charged Desiree Jeffers with murdering her reputed husband, ex-policeman Igriss Bobb-Blackman and she was remanded to prison at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court until January 31st.
Jeffers, 58 years of Parfait Harmonie Housing Scheme, WBD was arraigned before Magistrate Natasha Hatmin at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court.
Bobb-Blackman’s body was found in a septic tank at his residence at Parfait Harmonie on Thursday, January 20, 2011.
Meanwhile, police this morning arrested three persons at a Princes Street address as they continued investigations into the case.
Commander of D Division Balram Persaud when contacted told Stabroek News that he is aware that one other person was arrested in connection with the murder and that the police were looking for other suspects.
“I know we were looking for other suspects but I am not sure if they have been arrested,” Persaud told Stabroek News this morning.
Sources told Stabroek News that around 3 am today, the police swooped on the Princes Street address after having had the suspects under surveillance for several days.
The sources say that two men – brothers – and a woman, believed to be the reputed wife of one of the men, were held.
It is believed that these suspects were instrumental in disposing of Bobb-Blackman’s body in the septic tank. The sources say that the police apparently have video footage of the female suspect handling bags of clothing which were believed to have been taken from the premises where Bobb-Blackman’s body was found.
Police had had Jeffers, in custody since the discovery of the body. She is believed to be the prime suspect. Residents in the area had reported that several others were believed to have been involved in the disposal of the body.
His body, which was wrapped in a carpet tied with rope, was found by relatives who searched the home in the company of police after they got worried about their brother. There were marks of violence to the head and face, said Ptolemy, one of the brothers who made the gruesome discovery. He said that his younger brother’s feet were bound with rope. A family dog led him to the septic tank, he said.
The murder shocked the community and many residents converged on the scene. Bobb-Blackman and his reputed wife, Jeffers, 57, were separated and had a matter in court relating to assault and there was an ongoing dispute over division of property. They were due in court on Friday for a matter with Bobb-Blackman seeking a restraining order against the woman, his brother Brentnol, told Stabroek News.
He said that they learnt that Jeffers was scheduled to fly out of the country. Brentnol said that the woman is a US citizen and she travels very often. According to him, she was a nurse but retired after a “disability”. Bobb-Blackman and the woman had lived together for about five years. They had lived at the home for over three years having previously lived at North Road in Georgetown where the woman has a property.
Jeffers was at the home when the body was discovered. All she was saying was “Oh my God, oh my God. I don’t know about this”, Brentnol recounted.
He said that he last saw his brother on Sunday when Bobb-Blackman came to uplift some items from him at his workplace. He said that they normally spoke every day but on Wednesday, they did not speak. Brentnol said that he had called his brother’s phone but got on to voicemail. This does not happen normally and whenever Bobb-Blackman saw a missed call, he would return the call.
Brentnol said that he got worried and called a friend from church, Gayle, who went to the house. “Gayle ask Desiree if her grandson is home and she tell her that the man isn’t her grandson but her ex-fiancé. People often mistook him for her grandson because of the age difference”, Brentnol said. He said that Jeffers had responded that “Mr. Blackman is not living here”.
“Gayle said okay I thought he was your grandson and she went away”, he recalled.
Brentnol said that he went to the La Grange Police Station Wednesday night at about 8:25pm and ranks were dispatched to the home. He said that they went inside but there was no trace of Bobb-Blackman and his room was locked. Jeffers was present as they searched inside and out. “There was no trace of him.
He had notified their oldest brother, Ptolemy, and yesterday afternoon, they returned to the home with police ranks. The house was searched again and it was observed that the dogs kept running between the gate and the septic tank. Ptolemy said that he opened the septic tank. Inside was observed the multi-coloured carpet tied with yellow rope as well as a pack of Pall-Mall cigarettes which Bobb-Blackman normally smoked, a lighter, a small bottle containing some Seven Seas cod liver oil tablets and a white bucket. He said that Ptolemy took a hook that was at the dog-pen and hooked it on the carpet and pulled. The feet were seen.
They were then ordered to leave the yard. Jeffers was at the scene but had been hesitant to leave the home and police took her downstairs to the septic tank. She claimed that she knew nothing. The discovery was made between 2:15pm and 2:30pm.
Recounting the troubled relationship that his brother endured, Brentnol said that after their separation, Jeffers had sent Igris a lawyer’s letter instructing him to sell his portion of the land to her. There was no mention of the house. Bobb-Blackman’s lawyer responded saying that a valuation of the property must be done. This was done and she was supposed to pay him half the amount. He said that the lawyers for the couple agreed that the matter would be settled out of court and the sum to be paid was $6M.
However, he said, they have another matter in court. Brentnol said around April last year, the woman went to his brother’s workplace, the Brickdam Police station, and allegedly assaulted him. Bobb-Blackman was interdicted because of the matter, he said.
His brother tried to avoid her as much as possible and from time to time stayed with relatives.
The police questioned the woman for several hours inside the home yesterday and when they finally escorted her out, she covered her face. Residents converged on the car, pounding it and shouting various things at her.
