FIFTEEN minutes before she was killed travel agent Reona Payne contacted her aunt Taneisha Payne in tears, saying that something was bothering her and upon inquiry she was reluctant to say and promised to return a call.

Former Army Captain Orwain Sandy, who served as Special Assistant to the Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) went berserk Saturday morning, emptying his gun on his reputed wife in First Street, Alexander Village, Georgetown. After committing the act, he surrendered to police custody at the Ruimveldt Police Station.

“After 15 minutes I received a call saying that Orwain Sandy had killed his wife. I didn’t believe at first because I had just talked to her, then I receive another call and police confirmed that my niece was killed,” Taneisha Payne said.

She said when a call was returned to her niece’s phone it went to voicemail.
One eyewitness at the murder scene said that when the former army officer shot his lover the first time, he growled at those who were around and demanded that no one intervene as he continued to empty the clip of rounds into her body.

In an interview with this publication, the aunt explained that her niece was not a violent person but the duo had their own issues within their relationship.

Adding that her niece was a decent young woman, Taneisha Payne said the entire family was left in shock and trauma at what occurred and they will be expecting justice.
Relatives were critical of the inhumane act of killing Reona Payne and leaving her body on the roadside in the sun like an animal.

They are calling on the judiciary to make the soldier an example when passing judgment, since Sandy was a captain in the army and was qualified and should know better than to resort to violence in any dispute.

Reports also indicate that December last Reona sent a message to a friend about being punched to the face by Sandy during an argument. It was during that same argument that she said he threatened to kill her.
One of Reona’s friends related that on more than one occasion Sandy had cocked his weapon and threatened to kill her.

LONG RELATIONSHIP
A relative related that the duo knew each other and shared a relationship from teenage years. As they matured they both separated and married different persons, Reona’s union produced three children and Orwain Sandy is a father of five. They later divorced their partners and decided to start a relationship several years ago.
One relative noted that the couple lived together in Golden Grove before they moved into Providence, East Bank Demerara two years ago. “He was her first boyfriend,” said the relative.

One of Payne’s former co-workers spoke emotionally on the killing. “The coward makes me so angry. Now her children are motherless. He murdered her but gets the opportunity to turn himself into the police. I hope he gets a life sentence,” the coworker said.
Contact with relatives of Orwain Sandy proved futile.

Meanwhile, the Police have confirmed that Sandy used his service revolver during the shooting. Police sources also related that the soldier had on one occasion lodged his firearm at the Police Station during a domestic dispute.

One source explained that the soldier had suspected Reona Payne was being unfaithful and was conversing with someone from overseas.
It was reported that on Saturday, Sandy had planned to drop Payne off at her place of work when she received a phone call from the same person from overseas.

When the soldier questioned her and asked her to desist from railroading their relationship she became abusive and an argument ensued, and in the vicinity of the masjid in First Street Alexander Village, Reona grabbed the soldier’s firearm and threw it out of the car.
According to the source, Sandy stopped the vehicle to retrieve the weapon and Payne exited too, and after picking up the gun he fired in her direction empting the entire magazine.

The Chief-of-Staff has ordered the Inspector-General of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF)to conduct a Board of Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The GDF sought to assure Guyanese that Sandy’s action does not mirror the image of other soldiers.

“The force is truly saddened by this occurrence and would want to reassure the general populace that this is an isolated incident and is not reflective of the values and standards of the Guyana Defence Force,” the army said.
The GDF has since extended sincerest condolences to the relatives of the late Reona Payne.