— was arrested while attempting to flee jurisdiction

CRIME Chief, Senior Superintend Wendel Blanhum, has confirmed that Hilton Oliver Junior Franklin, 25, is currently in police custody for the murder of Dr Colin Roach, whose body was found in his Duke Street, Kingston, Georgetown office on Tuesday.

Police said that the Best Village, West Coast Demerara resident was arrested at the “back track” route in Berbice on Friday morning while attempting to flee to Suriname.

The police are also hunting for a woman who assisted Franklin in his attempt to flee the jurisdiction. He previously worked as a bartender and a taxi driver.

The Guyana Police Force, in a statement, said that acting on intelligence received on Friday at about 05:45 hours, investigators from the Major Crimes Unit, CID Headquarters and ranks from Region Six conducted an operation in Berbice where the prime suspect was promptly arrested and taken into custody.

The 25-year-old reportedly told investigators that he was the person who inflicted the fatal injuries with a metal object that resulted in the damage to Dr. Roach’s face and skull after a drunken session on Tuesday night at the doctor’s office.

He allegedly hit the doctor to the face and head multiple times.
Police investigators, on Thursday, recovered Dr. Roach’s Audi Q5 Sport Utility Vehicle with registration PXX 4000 at Schoonord, West Bank Demerara, which was stolen after he was killed.

The 49-year-old physician was one of two doctors authorised to conduct medical examinations in Guyana for US immigrant visas. He also had a stint at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. Many say he was an excellent doctor.

At his International Medical Clinic on Duke Street, Kingston, Dr. Roach’s body was found in his office by his employees. His face was severely damaged.

Franklin was reportedly identified as the prime suspect after CCTV video recordings from nearby buildings identified him leaving the doctor’s office on Tuesday night.

An autopsy done on Friday on Dr Roach’s body found that he died from multiple blunt trauma to the head.