State begins retrial of ‘Picture Boy’ for Non Pareil robbery murder

The retrial of Cyon ‘Picture Boy’ Collier, who is accused of killing Chandrapaul Persaud, 34, during a robbery in 2006 is underway.

Collier is facing a second trial in the High Court before Justice Dawn Gregory for the murder of Persaud, 34, called ‘Kero Man,’ after his previous trial ended without a verdict because of a deadlocked jury.

Persaud had just exited his vehicle at his Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara residence, when he was shot by one of three gunmen during an armed robbery.

State attorney Mercedes Thompson, in her opening argument, told the court that about 6:50pm on September 30, 2006, three men entered his premises armed with guns and robbed his family of jewellery and money. One of the men then shot and killed him. She said his wife was able to identify one of the three gunmen as Collier.

Police witness Inspector Chabinauth Singh stated that he received a call about a suspected murder and when he arrived at the scene he saw the body of a man in the yard. He added that he transported the man to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival before he carried him to the Lyken’s Funeral Parlour.

The trial will continue today.