… in shooting death of Lusignan cosmetologist

TWENTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD Ryan Ross, a driver attached to a taxi service at Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara, was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the shooting death of nineteen-year-old cosmetologist Ashminee Harryram of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara last Thursday.

A source close to the investigation confirmed to this publication yesterday that the taxi driver, who has been driving a car similar in colour and make (burgundy coloured AT 192) to the one used to transport Ashminee’s shooter, shelved without reason the vehicle he used to drive, and started driving a Toyota Raum on the same day that Ashminee was shot dead.

This sudden change in car colour and make naturally attracted the attention of persons who usually use the taxi service; and when questions were raised about the other vehicle, he told those who asked that the vehicle developed mechanical problems and was returned to the owner.

But the owner of that vehicle reportedly told investigators that the man, who had been working his vehicle for some time, had suddenly returned the car — incidentally on the same day of the shooting — claiming that he was having issues with it. He never returned to uplift that vehicle, but began driving a Raum instead.

Reliable sources told this publication that the police were also able to obtain added information on this suspect, who is no stranger to lawmen and has been on the police radar for quite some time.

A police source confirmed yesterday that even though the man had many times been fingered in criminal activities and was known to be associating with unsavoury characters, police never had any evidence they could have acted upon in taking him into custody.

The police are continuing their investigations in regard to this matter, even as both the Toyota Raum and the Toyota AT 192 remain impounded at the Vigilance Police Station.

(By Asif Hakim)