Second man held in Mahaica teen’s murder

A second person has been detained for questioning into the murder of Ravendra Persaud, 17, after information surfaced about an altercation involving the teen during festivities at the wedding house where he was last seen alive.

The second suspect, who was arrested on Thursday, is said to be a relative of Persaud.

Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, when contacted yesterday, confirmed that two persons are in police custody. He could not say who they were or if they were related to the victim but he pointed out that they were both at the wedding house. Asked if charges are likely, the crime chief pointed out that there is still a lot of work to be done.

Stabroek News was told Persaud stepped on a woman’s foot while partaking in festivities at the wedding house, where he and other relatives were guests. The woman, this newspaper was told, complained to Persaud’s relative.

The relative turned up at the police station yesterday after several messages were left for him. It was at this point he was arrested. He is said to be giving conflicting accounts of what transpired that night and is not revealing the identity of the woman.

Occupants of the wedding house have been tight-lipped and have denied that the lad was killed there. One woman did admit that she saw him at the house the night before he was found dead.

A taxi driver was initially arrested and released in connection with the case. He was, however, rearrested on Tuesday.

Persaud, a gardener, of Lot 33 Supply, Mahaica, was found on the De Hoop Road, Number 10 Village, with marks of violence to his head and other parts of the body last week Tuesday. A post-mortem examination later revealed he died from a fractured skull.

The teen’s body was found by a child, who heard his cellular phone ringing. On investigating the origin of the ringtone, the child stumbled upon the body, which was lying in the grass just off the edge of the roadway.