–incidents point to crying need to address interpersonal violence

CRIME Chief Leslie James yesterday confirmed to the Guyana Chronicle that the Force is continuing very active investigations into all the stabbing deaths which occurred between last week Friday and Monday evening.

Speaking with this publication by telephone, the Crime Chief related that in regard to the strangling and knifing to death of Candy Rawlins of Lot 4 Crane Housing Scheme, WCD on Friday, July 19, 2014, the policing are looking to issue a wanted bulletin for the suspect, who has since gone into hiding.

Other police sources have confirmed that the police are reviewing phone records and are working on information of the possible whereabouts of the man, as advised by relatives of the dead woman. The police are continuing their searches in that respect.

In regard to the stabbing deaths of commercial sex workers Jason John and Carl Sinclair, which occurred early Sunday morning, July 20, the Crime Chief advised that investigations remain open even as the main suspect in the matter is now deceased.

Asked if charges were likely to be instituted against the MMC workers accused of transporting the man to the area where he stabbed the two commercial

sex workers to death in different locations, James related that procedures have to be followed. He, however, confirmed that the police would first need to have statements to that effect before they can move to institute any charge against the workers of the security firm.

This publication was informed by someone other than the Crime Chief that statements are needed to the effect that the MMC men did drop off the assailant in the area where he committed the crimes.

Still investigating murders involving the use of a knife, the police are continuing their questioning of Nicola Joseph, whom they said is responsible for the killing of her reputed husband, Curtis McKinnon, on Sunday night. The woman reportedly told investigators and the dead man’s brother that she stabbed him during an argument.

One relative told this newspaper that after she was taken to the police station for stabbing the man, Nicola Joseph was not aware that he had died, and that upon hearing the news, she began breaking down.

The police were, up to yesterday, still trying to ascertain whether the woman was indeed pregnant, as some sections of the media are claiming.

And in regard to the final stabbing death incident, which occurred at Mahaicony on Monday evening, the police are now moving to seek the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution, since the main suspect in that matter, Travis James, has confessed to the police that he had stabbed his reputed wife’s brother and caused his death on Monday.

All four stabbing incidents, which claimed a total of five lives, stemmed from anger issues, based on the information received by this publication. The incidents underscore the need for a mechanism of some sort to address the issue of interpersonal violence.

(By Leroy Smith)