By Jeune Bailey Van Keric

TWENTY-nine-year old Lincoln Odell, who confessed to killing octogenarian, Fitz Herbert Grimes, in 2017 after the elderly man refused to give him money, was sentenced to 17 years in prison on Wednesday.

The murder occurred back in June 2017 at Race Course, Springlands, Corentyne.
At the sentencing hearing at the Berbice Assizes on Wednesday, Probation and Social Services Officer, Ms Felicia Gordon, who investigated Odell’s background, said the accused told her the elderly man was “weak, punishing and ready to go home.”
Prior to his death, the octogenarian/pensioner had opened his home to Odell, whose life was filled with neglect and deprivation. But although his guardian had given him the opportunity to attend school, and learn a trade, he opted to be a school drop-out and a consumer of illicit drugs.

It was while he was going to the community to purchase drugs, that he befriended Grimes, the only father figure in his life, who welcomed him and had attempted to transform his life, which was spiralling downward. Odell, at that time, had four convictions ranging from breaking and entering to simple larceny. While addressing the court yesterday, the accused expressed regret, blaming the incident on “smoking.”

Said Odell:” I am sorry to the Court and the deceased family. I was smoking.”
Odell, represented by Attorney at law, Siand Dhurjon, had appeared,  initially, before Justice Brassington Reynolds in October at the Berbice Assizes where, at his arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to murder, but guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.
Odell is among 14 prisoners at the New Amsterdam prison who have submitted statements indicating their willingness to plead to the lesser count of manslaughter.
According to the facts presented by State Prosecutor Seeta Bishundial, the accused was a regular visitor to the pensioner’s home. At the time of the visit, Grimes’ caretaker, along with her 11-year-old son, were at the house.

Shortly after, the caretaker left to visit a nearby shop, leaving her son and the accused downstairs.

Soon after, the accused went upstairs. Out of curiosity, the child followed, and, on peeping through a crack on the wall, he saw the accused choking the pensioner with one hand while cuffing his face with another. On witnessing the incident, the child ran outside, screaming for murder. His father met him, and after he confided in the parent, they returned to the scene as the accused was exiting the house. Two neighbours, on hearing the scuffle next door, looked through their window and saw the accused coming out of the house with bloodied clothing. The accused had chased the child and ran behind him with a cutlass, but the lad escaped. Odell was apprehended and handed over to the police.