2 plead guilty to murder of Better Hope moneychanger, daughter

Forty-year-old Paul Chan, also called “Anthony”, of Dennis Street, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, and 47-year-old Troy Abrams, called “Rasta Man”, of Middle Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara (EBD), on Friday pleaded guilty to the July 14, 2019 murder of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) moneychanger Aaron Latchman, and his daughter Arianna Latchman.
The accused duo appeared before Justice Navindra Singh recently and had the charge read to them. They were represented by attorney Ronald Bostwick, while the prosecution was spearheaded by Tinesha Sagon, Carissa Henry, Praneta Seeraj, and Christopher Belfield. They will return to court on September 30, 2024 for sentencing.

Initially, five persons had been charged for the crime, but the charge against Sean Thomas, called “Yankee”, of William Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was discharged by the magistrate during the preliminary inquiry, and Lloyd Sadloo of Mocha, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was acquitted in May. The fifth accused, 25-year-old Mark Rufina, escaped from the Lusignan Prison at some time between October 20 and October 21, 2020, and remains on the run.

RECAP
It has been reported that, on the day of the murder, both Aaron Latchman and his 19-year-old daughter Arianna had just returned to their home at Lot 58 Robert Street, Better Hope, East Coast Demerara when they were attacked by armed men. It is alleged that the bandits held the man and his daughter at gunpoint and took them into the upper flat of their home, where they demanded money. Upon receiving a bag that contained an undisclosed amount of cash, the bandits shot the moneychanger and his daughter before escaping.
Shortly thereafter, the businessman and his daughter had been rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where they had both been pronounced dead.
Sometime later, a motorcar that belonged to the dead businessman, which had been used by the bandits, was found at Front Road, La Penitence, Georgetown. During a search of the vehicle, an illegal firearm and several rounds of ammunition were found.

Two of the accused killers – Abrams and Sadloo – had previously been arrested and placed before the court for various offences, ranging from robbery-under-arms to trafficking in narcotics.
Abrams had, in 2016, been found guilty of robbery-under-arms committed on moneychangers Rayburn Fraser and Osaffo Ward at America Street, Georgetown on November 3, 2015, and had been sentenced to five years in prison.
Sadloo had, in 2008, been charged with murder. It is unclear at this time what had been the outcome of that matter. However, in 2016, Sadloo had been handed a four-year prison sentence after being found guilty of trafficking in marijuana. He had also previously been charged with armed robbery and escaping from lawful custody.