2 men await sentencing after admitting to killing their wives in separate attacks

Two men who admitted to killing their spouses in two separate but chilling acts of domestic violence, are now awaiting sentencing at the Demerara High Court. Both men appeared before Justice Simone Morris and pleaded guilty to the capital offence of murder, bringing years-long investigations to a close.
Michael London, a former member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), confessed to stabbing his common-law wife, 38-year-old Shaneka Elliot to death on May 19, 2017. The brutal attack took place at the couple’s home in Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Region 10, where Elliot was reportedly in the process of ending what had been described as an abusive relationship.
According to police investigations, London launched a violent assault on Elliot, stabbing her approximately 15 times during a heated confrontation. The injured woman was rushed to the Mackenzie Hospital Complex, where doctors pronounced her dead on arrival. A post-mortem later confirmed that Elliot died as a result of multiple incised wounds.
Following the killing, London fled, and police launched a manhunt. By the end of the day, they tracked him to a remote jungle area in Moblissa along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.
However, during the arrest, London reportedly resisted and attacked the arresting officers, forcing them to open fire. He was shot in the leg before being subdued and taken into custody.
With his guilty plea now entered before Justice Morris, London is scheduled to return to court on May 8, 2025, for sentencing. The judge is expected to take into account victim impact statements, a probation officer’s report, and other psychological and social assessments, before handing down the sentence.
In a separate case involving another horrifying act of intimate partner violence, 54-year-old Gowkaran (only name given) also pleaded guilty to murdering his wife, 47-year-old Debbie Singh, in an incident that unfolded at their Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara (WCD), home on April 9, 2020.
Based on the facts presented in court by the prosecution, Singh was doused with a mixture of kerosene and alcohol and set alight by her husband during a domestic dispute that occurred in front of their one-year-old twin children. The flames quickly consumed her clothing and skin, and, in a further act of cruelty, Gowkaran reportedly held her back to prevent her from escaping.
Despite the intense pain and severe burns, Singh managed to break free from his grip and ran outside, screaming for help from a neighbour. While she fought for her life, Gowkaran reportedly barricaded himself in a room inside the house and attempted to take his own life by hanging.
Police who responded to the scene were forced to break down the door to get to him, after which he was rescued and taken into custody.
Singh was transported in critical condition to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where she was hospitalised for several days. Sadly, she succumbed to her injuries. A post-mortem examination later revealed that Singh died as a result of pulmonary thromboembolism, a complication arising from septic burns, along with multiple acute gastric ulcers.
Gowkaran, who remained in custody since the incident, entered his guilty plea before Justice Morris. His sentencing has been scheduled for May 7, 2025.
As in London’s case, the judge is expected to consider victim impact statements and a comprehensive probation report before deciding on the appropriate penalty.
Both men remain on remand as they await the court’s final ruling. Their guilty pleas spare the victims’ families from enduring lengthy trials but reopen deep wounds left behind by two of the most gruesome domestic violence cases in recent years.