Andrew Ridley, the prime suspect in the murder of businessman Shimron Adams, who was fatally wounded during a robbery at his Lodge establishment on Monday night has confessed to the crime.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that ballistic tests also confirmed that the firearm which was found at Ridley’s house was the weapon used to shoot Adams.
Ridley and his alleged accomplice, Akelow Marshall, 20, of Independence Boulevard, East La Penitence, remain in police custody. They are likely to be charged in the new week.
Ridley was arrested on Wednesday. Police had recovered the murder weapon; a 9mm pistol and 9 matching rounds were found under his house.
Marshall was arrested at the Berbice Bridge Road on Thursday. At the time, he was enroute to Springlands and reportedly had plans to flee to neighbouring Suriname.
Investigators made headway in the case after they obtained a detailed statement from the female who was in company of Adams at the time of his murder. Stabroek News was told that the woman also shared a relationship with Ridley.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that days before the murder, Ridley became annoyed and threatened to rob Adams after he saw messages and photographs on the female’s phone shared between her and Adams.
This newspaper was told that the female pleaded with Ridley not to do it since Adams was “good” to her, but he persisted and took possession of her cellular phone.
Reports are that on the morning of the killing, the female asked Ridley for the phone and while he initially refused, he eventually gave it to her.
Investigators were further told that on the night of the murder, while the female was with Adams at his business place, Ridley and Marshall entered through a shutter. They were armed and ordered the female and Adams to lie on the ground. They complied after which Ridley and his accomplice proceeded to rob Adams of the gold band and ring he was wearing.
Adams then got up and Ridley held onto a bag he was carrying. A scuffle ensued between Adams and Ridley during which Ridley discharged a round which struck Adams.
Ridley then relieved Adams of his bag and took away the female’s phone before he fled the scene.
The incident occurred around 23.40 hours as Adams, 41, a businessman of Kaneville, Grove, East Bank Demerara was about to lock up his D’Urban and Chapel streets, Lodge establishment.
Adams operated a wholesale and retail business where alcoholic beverages were sold at the bottom flat of the three-storey concrete building located on the south-western side of D’Urban and Chapel streets.
Police recovered one 9mm spent shell along with a warhead at the scene.
Ridley is known to the police. In the past, he was charged with several counts of armed robbery. Just last month, the police had issued a wanted bulletin for him in relation to the murder of labourer, Dexter McFarlene.
