BV resident arrested over murder of bread vendor

Clairmont Telesford
Clairmont Telesford

Police have arrested a man in connection with the murder of Beterverwagting (BV) bread vendor, Clairmont Telesford, who was discovered dead on Sunday morning shortly after a robbery at his home.

Stabroek News was reliably informed that the suspect, a resident of BV, was taken into custody on Tuesday.

The suspect is said to be known to the police and was previously charged with a series of robberies.

The investigation is being spearheaded by ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Major Crimes Unit.

The lifeless body of Telesford, 63, of 101 Republic Drive, Beterverwagting, was discovered by his common-law wife, Shondell Emmanuel, shortly after they were attacked by bandits on Sunday morning.

An autopsy later showed that he died as a result of manual strangulation, compounded by blunt trauma to the head.

The police on Sunday said that Telesford and Emmanuel were attacked at around 1.30 am at their home by three masked males, one of whom was armed with a firearm.

The bandits carted off over half a million dollars in cash and jewellery.

In a statement, the police explained that the couple was in the process of closing their business and were unpacking bread in their bottom flat apartment, when the perpetrators attacked and relieved them of jewellery and cash.

In the process, Telesford and Emmanuel were bound and assaulted but as the bandits were escaping, they took Telesford into the yard, where he was later found motionless with injuries to the head, the police said.

Emmanuel had previously told Stabroek News that despite complying with the bandits, they still physically assaulted her and killed her husband.

“Ow, he didn’t deserve this…when they come, they said, ‘I gone kill yuh if you don’t give we the money and jewellery.’ I tell them I gon’ give them but leh they don’t kill we…them get wah they want. I give them wah they ask for and they still kill him…I ain’t understand that,” she said.

 “He always keeping money all over. He had over $300,000 in savings and he does throw box hand and he does save here and there. I even does save and had over $200,000 in a bag. They gone with all…I tell them where all deh and beg for we lives but he still dead when I find he…,” Emmanuel explained.

The two had shared a common-law relationship for over 10 years and Telesford had been operating the business for over a decade.