Yarrowkabra chopping victim had been abused for over 7 years – relative

Carol Shako, the woman who was hacked in her head with an axe on Monday at Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, was living in an abusive relationship for over seven years, relatives said yesterday.

Shako’s aunt Idelie Harris told Stabroek News that Shako suffered through seven years of abuse at the hands of her killer. She said Shako’s two children were also beaten by the man and as such had to be taken away from them.

“The welfare bring them to me to take care of them because the man used to beat them bad,” she said. She said Shako went once to see the children and never returned. She said on that occasion, her family had pleaded with her to get out of the abusive relationship but she chose not to.

“He always beating her and threatening her. I don’t know why she continued in that abuse,” Harris added.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said the police are still awaiting advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions on the matter.

He had told this newspaper on Tuesday that the suspect confessed to inflicting Shako’s fatal wounds. The suspect allegedly told the police that he had taken a knife and slit Shako’s throat before chopping her in the head with the axe between 8 am and 9 am on Monday. He claimed he had killed Shako because she could not account for a sum of money.

It was later on Monday afternoon that neighbours discovered Shako’s bloodied body in the one-flat house, which is situated in a desolate area. A neighbour said a man, who appeared to be drunk, had gone to her door and said, “Wallace killing the girl over there,” but she did not listen to him because of his state. However, sometime later that day the suspect went to the home of another villager and told her that he had “just put her [Shako] to rest.”

The woman responded by instructing him to go home and wait on her to visit the home. At this time, the suspect’s jersey was soaked in blood. When the woman went to the house, she discovered Shako lying in a pool of blood. It was then the police were called to the scene.