– Police

CAMBIO dealer Totaram and his wife, Bhagmattie Mootoo retired to bed on the fateful night of May 10, 2013, not suspecting it would have been their last time together.That double homicide is another cold case which has reached a snag, according to the Police, but there are lots of questions that still linger in the minds of many.
Some of which are – who may have perpetrated the crime and why, as well as the obvious deliberately set fire after the husband and wife were killed.

Those may never be answered but, at a glance, based on the fact the Mootoos had retired to bed in their well protected multi-million dollar home, one could only surmise that whoever is responsible was known to the residents and allowed entry.
Initially, three suspects closely associated with the Mootoos were held for questioning but were released after interrogation by sleuths, for the allowed 72-hour holding period, and no tangible evidence was gathered to link them to the double killings.
The couple were discovered burnt beyond recognition in their bed in the upper flat of their home at Area ‘Q’ Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, on May 10.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) responded to a call, found the charred remains and summoned the police after a search of the premises was conducted.
Post-mortems were performed on the bodies of the Mootoos and it was reported that Totaram died as a result of smoke inhalation compounded by blunt trauma, while his wife, Bhagmattie, also succumbed to blunt trauma to the back and burns.
Police reported that, at about 00:35 hrs on May 10, the charred remains of businessman Mootoo called ‘Beer’, 54, and his wife Bhagmattie called ‘Dolly’, 48, were found in the bedroom of the upper flat of their home which had been destroyed by a fire of unknown origin.
Neighbourhood residents recalled hearing a loud explosion before they saw thick smoke emanating from the home of the Mootoos and shortly after the fire was observed.

(By Michel Outridge)