Suspect held over murder of Health Ministry driver

Collin McPherson
Collin McPherson

Police have arrested a suspect in the murder of Collin McPherson, the Ministry of Health driver who was shot and killed at his Sophia home last Thursday night.

Contacted for an update yesterday, Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum told Stabroek News that the suspect was arrested over the weekend.

Blanhum said the police have since received legal advice to charge the suspect. He is likely to appear in court today.

McPherson, 43, of Lot 460 ‘D’ Field, Sophia was shot several times about his body by a lone gunman in the presence of two of his children.

The attack unfolded around 21.40 hrs while McPherson was sitting on a bench in front his house with three men, including his 26-year-old nephew.

McPherson’s 18-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter were in the house. They ran for cover after the gunman entered the house.

The police in a statement had said that an eyewitness recalled that he was in the house when he heard a loud explosion after which McPherson rushed inside and shouted “close the door”.

Upon seeing the gunman, the eyewitness said, he ran into a bedroom in the house, leaving McPherson in the living room. Two more loud explosions were then heard and then there was silence.

“The eyewitness said he emerged from the bedroom shortly after which he saw McPherson lying motionless in the living room,” the statement explained.

Milika Parris, the mother of McPherson’s children had previously told Stabroek News the attack has left McPherson’s family searching for answers as to why someone would want to kill him. “Collin don’t deh in no problem. Collin don’t deh in no story. Collin is a peaceful man. He don’t like police problem,” Parris said.

Parris explained that based on what her nephew, who was present when the shooting unfolded, related to her, McPherson was not the intended target of the gunman.

“What I was made to understand was there was a young man sitting out there (outside the house) on the bench with my nephew and the young man that was sitting there he bore somebody in ‘B’ Field and he come hay and he telling Collin the story….And whilst he was sitting there, when the boy (gunman) come up with the gun, Collin turn and tell he don’t kill he and the boy run. So like after the boy run, they just shoot and shoot he,” Parris explained.

Police sources has since confirmed that the suspect was indeed involved in an altercation with two other men before the shooting.

The suspect then allegedly made his way to McPherson’s home where the two men reportedly journeyed and opened fire killing McPherson.