Ranks from the Guyana Police Force’s Major Crimes Unit yesterday made a breakthrough in their investigation into the murder of 73-year-old coconut farmer, Deonarine who was shot last Friday evening at his Grant Maria’s Delight, Lower Pomeroon River home.
A police source close to the investigation confirmed with Stabroek News that the man’s 46-year-old partner who was among four persons initially detained has since admitted to committing the crime.
The police were yesterday granted an extension in time to question her.
The three other persons, who are said to be Deonarine’s employees have since been released.
Stabroek News understands that the woman, who had been living with Deonarine for several months now had initially identified and implicated one of his employees as the perpetrator of the act.
The woman, this newspaper was told, related to investigators that she identified the employee from a mark on his hand.
However, her story changed yesterday, hours after she was transported to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary for questioning.
During the interrogation, the woman related to the police that she rushed down to the lower flat of the house on Friday evening after she and Deonarine were involved in a heated argument after dinner which escalated into a fight.
The woman added that she managed to fight off Deonarine and armed herself with his firearm which she used to shoot him.
Deonarine (only name), also known as ‘Russian,’ of Grant Maria’s Delight, Lower Pomeroon River, was shot once to his abdomen during the incident which occurred around 6.30pm last Friday.
He was rushed to the Charity Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The police in a statement had said that enquiries revealed that approximately one hour before the attack, Deonarine went to Charity Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast, where he picked up the woman and took her to their home.
The woman had reportedly related to the police that they were sitting at a table when Deonarine went to answer a call at the front door.
She had told the police that he was confronted by the suspect, who was said to have been armed with a “long gun.” The man was masked, she had said.
“The female intervened, [and] held onto the suspect’s weapon,” a police statement had said, while noting that the masked man then whipped out a knife and the woman reportedly held on to that as well.
Deonarine ran downstairs and the suspect allegedly pushed down the woman and went after him. He subsequently shot him and then fled.
A post-mortem examination is scheduled to be conducted on Deonarine’s remains today and the woman is likely to be charged soon.
