A CUBAN national has been sentenced to life imprisonment after admitting to the brutal Christmas Day murders of his partner and her 11-year-old daughter nearly six years ago.

Yoel Rodriguez Barrientos, 32, appeared before Justice Nicola Pierre at the Demerara High Court recently, where he pleaded guilty to the murders of 34-year-old Tara Krishnaran and her daughter, Larissa Singh.

The killings occurred on December 25, 2020, at the family’s home on Princess Street, Lodge, Georgetown.

According to the prosecution, an argument between Barrientos and Krishnaran escalated into a violent attack. During the confrontation, Barrientos repeatedly struck the woman in the head with a hammer, inflicting fatal injuries.

The court heard that moments later, Larissa entered the room and witnessed the aftermath of the attack. Prosecutors said Barrientos then fatally slit the child’s throat before also striking her several times with the hammer.

After the double murder, Barrientos fled the scene, prompting police to launch a manhunt and issue a wanted bulletin.

Later that day, acting on information received, investigators located and arrested him in Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

In handing down the sentence, Justice Pierre imposed life imprisonment for each murder. Barrientos will become eligible to apply for parole after serving 35 years for the murder of Krishnaran and 40 years for the murder of Singh.

The sentences will run concurrently, meaning they will be served at the same time.
The judge also ordered that the period Barrientos has already spent on remand be deducted from his sentence. In addition, he was directed to participate in anger management programmes while incarcerated.