FIVE years after the gruesome murder of 18-year-old Alisa McPherson, her boyfriend was on Tuesday sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving 20 years.

Shivanand Roopnarine, 26, of School Street, Grove, East Bank Demerara, was sentenced by Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court.

Roopnarine confessed that on April 19, 2015, he murdered his girlfriend Allisa McPherson at Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

The state was represented by prosecutors Tiffany Lyken, Tuanna Hardy, and Nefeeza Baig. Roopnarine was represented by attorney-at-law Siand Dhurjon.

According to reports, on April 18, 2015, McPherson left her home and went to a party in Sophia with a male friend. While at the party McPherson was confronted by Roopnarine who accused her of infidelity. McPherson denied the accusation, subsequent to which Roopnarine took her to the back of the yard, drew a black object from the waist of his pants and stabbed her.

McPherson was discovered in the toilet area with stab wounds and she was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
A post-mortem report revealed that McPherson was stabbed 41 times about her body. Roopnarine fled the murder scene but was arrested in March 2016 at Mabura, Region 10(Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice).

Roopnarine confessed and told investigators that he had felt betrayed by McPherson
Dhurjon, during his plea of mitigation, told the court during the commission of the crime his client was under the influence of alcohol and now regrets what he did.
Additionally, Dhurjon said Roopnarine while behind bars had learned to read and write. He will also be writing the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations in June.

Roopnarine during his address to the court begged McPherson’s family for forgiveness.
McPherson’s mother Denise took to the witness stand and read a statement in court. She broke down in tears, stating that she is still grieving the loss of her daughter. “I would like to ask him why he did it to my daughter,” she said, as she looked to Roopnarine for an answer; Roopnarine however stared blankly at her.

Justice Kissoon considered the following factors: the age of the deceased and how she was killed; the fact that a weapon was used and the need to deter like-minded individuals from committing similar crimes. He also considered the following mitigating factors such as Roopnarine’s age, the date when he committed the act and when he was arrested a year later.

Justice Kissoon eventually sentenced Roopnarine to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving 20 years.