Decomposing body suspected to be missing British teen

The godbrother of missing British teen Dominic Michael Lloyd Bernard is one of two persons now wanted by police, who are also investigating whether a badly decomposed body found buried in a shallow grave in Berbice yesterday afternoon is the youth.

Dominic Michael Lloyd Bernard
Dominic Michael Lloyd Bernard

Police last evening said Aaron Wilfred Hing, 22, who is Bernard’s godbrother, and Staymon George, 23, are wanted for questioning about the teen’s disappearance.

Bernard, 18, has not been heard from since he travelled to Guyana last October. His father has said that the teen was supposed to have been visiting Hing.

Wanted bulletin’s issued by police gave Hing’s last known address as Lot 19 Kildonan Village, Corentyne, Berbice, and George’s last known address as Lot 19 Charles Street, Charlestown and Kildonan Village, Corentyne.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum yesterday confirmed said the discovery of the decomposed body in the backlands of Nurney Village. Kildonan is the neighbouring village.

Blanhum said while the body could be the missing Bernard, DNA tests would have to be conducted to verify the suspicion.

Late yesterday afternoon, the body was still at the scene as ranks from the major crime unit were travelling with a crime scene expert to the location to conduct investigations. Clothing and other items were reportedly found some distance away from where the body was discovered.

Aaron Hing
Aaron Hing
Staymon George
Staymon George

At 8.35pm, Stabroek News was told that a group investigators from Georgetown had arrived at the scene and were assessing the extent of the decomposition of the remains. It is unclear if a post-mortem examination would have been done at the scene or if investigators would seek to have one done at a later date. Government pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh was a part of the contingent that travelled from the city.

The teen’s parents have been informed of the new developments.

At a news conference called on Tuesday to appeal for help to locate the missing teen, Andrew Bernard said his son travelled to Guyana alone on October 14. It was his first trip to the country and he was supposed to stay with Hing, although the man noted that it appeared that Hing “was unaware that Dominic was making this trip.”

“We know Dominic cleared customs. After that we have no information,” the father noted.

Bernard was scheduled to return to London on November 6.

Police are urging anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Hing and George to contact them on telephone numbers 225-6411, 333-2191, 333-2151, 226-1326, 225-7625, 911, or at the nearest police station.