THE police are investigating a report of an alleged murder committed on Yoel Valenzuela, a 40-year-old labourer who resided at Timehri, East Bank Demerara.

According to a statement, the alleged murder was committed by three suspects (names withheld) around 04:30hrs on Sunday morning at the Soesdyke Junction, Linden Highway.

“Investigations so far revealed that on 2023/7/15 at about 20:0 hrs, Yoel Valenzuela [now-deceased], along with his son John Valenzuela, age 17, his cousin Ameria Campo, age 34, and John Campo, age 21, all of Timehri (Public Road) went to Ragu Sports Bar at Soesdyke where they were imbibing alcohol.

One of the suspects, known to the witnesses, approached Yoel Valenzuela (now deceased) and started arguing with him.

John Valenzuela confronted the suspect, and an argument ensued between them. John Valenzuela pushed and cuffed the suspect to his mouth.

The suspect, in the company of other friends, confronted the now-deceased man and his relatives. Valenzuela and his relatives ran out of the bar, followed by the suspects. Yoel Valenzuela ran south of Soesdyke public road and turned up the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, followed by the suspects, while John Valenzuela, Ameria and John Campo ran farther south along the Soesdyke Public Road, followed by friends of the prime suspect,” the statement said.

It added that a 32-year-old self-employed man of Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, claimed that around 05:3 hrs this morning, he went to urinate at the Soesdyke Junction when he saw the lifeless body of Yoel Valenzuela and he reported same to the police.

Crime scene investigators examined Valenzuela’s body, and a wound was seen above the left ear, and another was seen on the right side of the back. The area was checked, and what appeared to be blood stains were seen.

The man was escorted to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where his body was examined by a doctor who pronounced him dead on arrival.

One suspect is currently in police custody. Police are looking for the other suspects as investigations continue.