SYLVESTER Vanderhyden, who was on trial for the 2008 murder of Melissa Payne, was, on Wednesday, acquitted of the crime by a jury.

Vanderhyden, of Block ‘A’ Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, was on trial before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the Demerara High Court for the capital offence which read that, on November 5, 2008, at Agricola Public Road, East Bank Demerara, he murdered Payne during the course or furtherance of a robbery.

After deliberating for almost two hours, the 12-member jury found Vanderhyden not guilty. He was represented by attorney-at-law George Thomas, while prosecutor Lisa Cave presented the State’s case.

According to reports, on the day in question, at about 08:30 hours, Payne, along with her reputed husband, Devon Thomas, were in a canter truck heading to Georgetown to conduct business.

As the couple approached Agricola, the truck encountered mechanical problems. Fraser came out and tried to fix the truck, while Payne stood and watched him.

A few moments later, one of the two bandits came up to them with a gun and demanded their money.  The armed man snatched Fraser’s gold chain and attempted to pull away Payne’s handbag.

Payne resisted and was fatally shot in her chest. The men then escaped with some $110,000 in cash that was in the woman’s bag, along with her jewellery.

In November 2017, Jermaine Savory, formerly of Second Street, Agricola, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by a High Court judge after he was found guilty of killing Payne.

Savory had confessed to investigators that he had participated in the robbery but was not the trigger man. In 2016, after being on the run from the police, Vanderhyden was finally arrested and charged for the offence.