ONE of the three men who were detained on Sunday for questioning in relation to the murder of Dr. Max Kungel, hanged himself in the Number 51 Police Station lock-ups, at Corentyne, Berbice, on Monday night. Police said, about 05:20hrs yesterday, the body of Omesh Thakurdeen, 27, of No. 72 Village, Corentyne, was found hanging in the cell.
The suspect had been taken into custody at about 20:50hrs on Monday, during investigations into the homicide of the medical doctor, whose corpse was discovered in the backdam at No. 70 Village, Corentyne, on Sunday, with gunshot wounds.
Police said while Thakurdeen was locked up at the Police Station, visits were made to the cell in which he was the only prisoner, and during the 05:20hrs check, he was seen hanging by his shirt from the grill work.
His body is at Skeldon Hospital Mortuary, at Corentyne, awaiting a post-mortem as investigations continue.
Meanwhile, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud told the Guyana Chronicle that Thakurdeen is a cousin of the deceased doctor, who, police believe, could have provided some very vital information for the investigators.
The Deputy Commissioner (Crime) added that Kungel, a New York College of Osteopathic Medicine graduate, was shot five times in the chest with a .25 gun. The shooter braced the weapon to the victim’s chest and discharged the bullets, all of which lodged there.

Multiple gunshots
A post-mortem performed on Monday revealed that Kungel died as a result of multiple gunshots which perforated his heart.
The autopsy, done by government pathologist, Dr. Vivikanand Brijmohan, also proved that the United States Army doctor succumbed to shock and haemorrhage.
Persaud disclosed, as well, that, at the home of Kungel’s sister, where he was staying during his visit to Guyana, police retrieved a lot of cash and took possession of some documents and two laptop computers.
The Crime Chief said the police elicited some evidence that Kungel was dealing with a property issue at the time he was killed.
Kungel, who joined the U.S. military in 2003, had returned to his homeland on March 5 to observe his grandmother’s first death anniversary on March 23, a day after he would have celebrated his 43rd birthday.
A relative, who preferred not to be named, told this newspaper that Kungel was at his sister’s residence on Sunday when he received a call on his cellular phone, at about 22:00 hrs, and left hurriedly, without stating where he was going.
It is believed that he went to meet person(s) known to him and was killed as he sat in a rented Toyota Tundra motor vehicle aback of Number 70 Village, Corentyne, hours after he had departed his sister’s place.
As the police continue their investigation, searches are being made for his other belongings, including gadgets, personal documentation, foreign currency and gold jewellery that he had in his possession when he was killed.