Former UG Professor Perry Mars died last night after being found beaten and tied in his Prashad Nagar residence. Six persons have since been arrested, police said today.
According to reports reaching Stabroek News, Mars, was discovered by his wife, after she had returned home from work, beaten and tied to a chair in what was suspected to be a robbery. After making the discovery, his wife rushed him to a hospital where he died receiving medical attention. He had recently returned to the country.
Relatives were not in a position to speak last night on his death.
Mars had been Professor Emeritus at Wayne State University in Detroit and recognized for his work on Caribbean and African studies.
According to the Wayne State University website, Mars was educated at the University of Guyana where he received his Bachelors degree in History, and Carleton University in Ottawa where he obtained both a Masters degree in International Affairs and a Ph.D in Political Science. He served in various university positions before going to Africana Studies at Wayne State, including a professorship of Political Science and Development Studies at the University of Guyana and various visiting positions at the University of California (Berkeley), California State University (Los Angeles), The New School for Social Research (New York) and the University of West Indies (Mona, Jamaica).
The biodata said that Professor Mars was also the recipient of several academic awards including two Fullbright professorships, and a MacArthur fellowship award. He was a Professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Wayne State University where he taught his primary specialty, Caribbean Politics and Culture. He has also taught several other courses in the Africana Studies department, including Black Social and Political Thought, Race and Racism in America, and Black Social Movements.
A police press release issued today follows:
The police are conducting investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of retired Professor Parietdeau Mars called “Perry”, 75 years, of Bissessar Avenue, Prashad Nagar, who was found in his home about 1830h. yesterday Thursday May 12, 2016, with his hands and feet duct taped and injuries to his head. The house was ransacked and a number of articles and cash were missing.
He was pronounced dead on arrival at a private hospital.
Diligent investigations by the police have so far led to the arrest of four men and two women and the recovery of a sum of cash, a laptop computer, an I-phone and a play station.
