As investigations continue into the rape and murder of Leonard Archibald, 13, whose badly mangled and decomposed body was found on the banks of the Berbice River on Saturday, serious questions are being asked of villagers.

Chief among them is why victims and villagers are only now coming out with their stories and encounters with the suspects who have had a checkered past.

When questioned, many residents say the main suspect is feared by many people and they would often stay quit to avoid becoming a victim.

According to Abigail Archibald, the mother of the murdered teen, Hilary Edwards, who is the main suspects, is a distant relative and she cannot fathom what may have possessed him and his friend to commit the “barbaric” act on her son.

“Hilary and we related, we are not close but we are relatives and he knows this, so what could make him want to kill my son. This is unforgivable, I can never forgive them for this,” the grieving mother said.

According to residents, Edwards in their view is considered to be a serial rapist of males, especially young boys and would strike at any given opportunity.

“He always molesting me when I was small, one time he (Hillary) beat me up and I always living in fear since then; I does try to avoid he as much as possible and I does get nightmare. I hope after today he never gets to see the light of day again, he try to b***** me but I get away and I shame fuh tell people but now I hope he get wah coming to he,” said Alfred (not real name), a young man in his early 20s told Guyana Chronicle.

Alfred related that he was 10 at the time when Edwards asked him to do him (Edwards) a favour.

LURED

“He did ask me fuh guh shop and buy a drink fuh he and when I come back he give me some and start fuh touch me, when I pull way, he hold me down and try fuh pull down me pants and I fight he off and run way. He did shouting if I tell anybody he gun beat me and when he see me a couple a days later he lash me wid a wood and I run way and since then he does always molest me and I try fuh avoid he but I never tell anybody cause I did frighten,” the young man related.

He said it is likely that Leonard was doing a favour for Edwards when Edwards and his friend pounced on him.

Many in the village could be overheard talking about the suspect, saying “is long now he like troubling young boys” but when asked why they never spoke out, said Edwards always found a way to settle the matter with the victims’ parents.

“Most times when the story buss out he does seh is lies them children saying and give differ story from what the children said, saying is a misunderstanding and offer to compensate the family for injuries to their kids. It is a pity it had to come to this because somebody had to die before he get arrested,” another resident of Sisters Village said.

Meanwhile, one of Leonard’s sisters, who is still to come to grips with the news of her brother’s death, believes if he was with them, he would have been alive today.

“If we did walk with he, he would a still been alive but we lef he fuh ride off, we didn’t think this would a happen, we should a tell he fuh stay wid we” she sobbed.