3 months after discovering remains, men inform dead man’s family

The family of 60-year-old Ray Bryan Roache will finally receive closure after two men reported that his remains were found at a broken-down camp in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), three months after the discovery was made.
Ray Bryan Roache was an unemployed resident of Phase Four Squatting Area, Amelia’s Ward.
At about 09:30h on Friday morning, Elroy Roache – a 47-year-old boat captain – went to the Amelia’s Ward Police Outpost. There, he reported receiving information that human remains, suspected to be those of his elder brother, were seen at a broken-down camp in a bushy area.
As a result, an immediate investigation was launched and contact was made with a 57-year-old machine operator of Kwakwani Park, Upper Berbice River.
The machine operator told investigators that in July last year, the construction company where he was employed moved to Phase Four Amelia’s Ward to commence road construction and the installation of pipelines.
After moving into the area, they built a camp and a kitchen. He said there was no potable water in the area, so he had to fetch water from Kara Kara creek regularly for domestic purposes.
He said on September 22, while conversing with a 53-year-old self-employed man from the area, he relayed the water woes. The man then informed the machine operator that there was a creek about half a mile away, where he could access water. The men went down to the area and while approaching the creek, they saw an old, broken-down makeshift camp. As they got closer, they saw what appeared to be human remains.
The machine operator made a short video recording with his cell phone and they turned back. He said the man said that he suspected it was the remains of Ray Roache and he would try to locate Ray’s relatives to inform them.
According to the machine operator, it was only on January 11 that he was able to contact one of Ray’s relatives at Cinderella City to tell her what he had seen more than three months ago.
Police visited the scene at about 12:00h on Friday in the company of the machine operator and the 53-year-old man.
“The area where the remains were found is very bushy and is located about half a mile away from the newly constructed Phase Four road. The remains were found under a broken-down camp. It appeared as though the deceased was lying on a cot made of salt bags and sticks and he was dressed in long black pants and a black T-shirt. Next to the remains was a transparent plastic bag containing a BLU cell phone with a charger, a permanent disability voucher book for 2022 and a National Identification card with his details,” Police said in a statement.
The scene was processed and photographed and the remains were taken to Pensioner’s Funeral Home, awaiting a post-mortem examination. The identification card was shown to Elroy Roache, who identified same to be the property of his brother.
The men were taken to the Mackenzie Police Station assisting with the investigations. (G12)