– US official files application for extradition

AFTER being on the run from United States (US) authorities, Troy Anthony Thomas, who was wanted in connection with a 2011 murder, was on Wednesday morning caught in Liliendaal on the East Coast of Demerara. He is expected to be extradited soon.
Thomas, 31, of South Ozone Park, Queens, New York was nabbed by police during an operation on Wednesday morning which had commenced since January 31, 2018. He was later brought before Senior Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus before whom an application was made by a US official for Thomas to be extradited to the US to be formally charged with murder.

The 31-year-old, who was unrepresented, told the court that he did not know about “any murder”. Nevertheless, he was remanded to prison until March 26 for report on the extradition.

According to reports, on December 11, 2011, 20-year-old Keith Frank was shot once in the torso in a flash of violence outside a South Richmond Hill party. Frank, who moved to Queens from Guyana when he was 12, died exactly two months before his 21st birthday.
The NY Police Department began looking for Thomas in connection with the shooting. However, within hours he allegedly fled the jurisdiction and crossed over to Canada from New York State.

In Canada, he used travel documents belonging to a relative and boarded a Caribbean Airlines flight, arriving in Guyana in the early hours of the morning before the bulletin could reach Interpol (International police)
Also in police custody is Thomas’ fiancée, Lolita Callendar called “Lola”, a local make-up artist and social media personality of East Ruimveldt. She was arrested in connection with harbouring the fugitive and for threatening behavior.