61-year-old man found dead in Tiger Bay drain with suspected wound to head

– family calls for thorough investigation, justice

The body of 62-year-old Wilfred Agard, a sign artist, was discovered on Friday in a drain along Rosemary Lane, South Cummingsburg (Tiger Bay), leaving relatives to believe that foul play was involved.
Wilfred was reportedly last seen alive on Thursday evening, attending a wake in the same community.

Residents said that around mid-morning Friday, a group of children playing nearby stumbled upon his motionless body lying face down in a narrow drain. They raised an alarm, and family members, along with villagers, rushed to the scene but not before contacting the Police.
According to Wilfred’s niece, Ashley Agard, he lived with relatives at Queen Street, Cummingsburg, and was known for making his living through sign painting, playing the drums, and performing odd jobs.
He had no children and was described as someone who had no issues with anyone.
Relatives who later identified the body said there was a wound at the back of his head, and he was face down in the drain, which raised concerns that his death may not have been accidental.
Given the confined space of the drain and the visible injury, family members believe foul play might be involved and are urging authorities to carry out a thorough investigation.
“It looked like somebody did something to my uncle… he had a big gash at the back of his head… we don’t know who would do something to him, but they have wicked people in the world…” she said.
Those close to Agard indicated that he had been struggling with alcoholism for several years. Despite efforts from relatives to help him stop drinking, he reportedly continued to consume alcohol regularly. His family said he had been making attempts to overcome the habit in recent months.
“We would take away his rum and so on, but he would still drink… he drinks heavily. Around six people called me and told me he was in the drain, and I called the Police,” she said.
The discovery has left relatives and residents in shock. Many have called for investigators to review surveillance footage from nearby cameras to determine what transpired in the hours before his death.
“There are a lot of establishments around here; let the Police review them to see what happened. We hope they do that because when it’s here (Tiger Bay), they shut us out,” Ashley said.
Following the incident, Police investigators visited the scene and have since launched a probe into the discovery. The body was removed and taken to the mortuary for a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.