“Bullet” remanded to prison for Region 1 double murder

A 42-year-old resident of Friendship, East Bank Demerara, was remanded to prison on Monday for a double murder that occurred in Region One (Barima-Waini) on December 23, 2021. Kurtland Damon, called “Cartoe” or “Bullet” was arraigned before Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
He was not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that on December 23, 2021, he murdered 29-year-old Sherwin Goddette, a gold miner of Dredge Creek, Upper Pomeroon, and Shawn France, 21, of Akawini Creek, Pomeroon. The now dead men were relatives.

The father of two, who was represented by Attorney-at-Law Latchmie Rahamat, was remanded to prison until later this month. Following the killings, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) had issued a wanted bulletin for Damon and Thomas Kyte, called “Taco”. Last Thursday, Kyte turned himself in at the Matthews Ridge Police Station.
His lawyer, Bernard Da Silva said his client was released from custody on Monday pending investigations following the expiry of the stipulated 72-hour period for detention. Guyana Times understands that Damon surrendered at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, last Friday.
Based on reports, at around 08:00h on the day in question, the dredge owner reportedly closed off operations for the Christmas holidays and left, leaving his employees at the worksite. A Police report said that around 11:00h on Christmas Eve, France, Goddette, and three other employees left their camps and went to the landing, where they began to consume alcohol.
However, at about 22:30h the said day, France was engaged in a heated argument with the bartender over a bottle of champagne. He reportedly became annoyed and threw the bottle to the ground, thus resulting in a scuffle among the persons at the drinking spot. He armed himself with a pair of scissors and attacked those present.

As he was about to attack a 35-year-old gold miner, he was stopped in his tracks when the man whipped out his licensed firearm and discharged a single round in the air. A Police report said that the fighting ceased immediately.
During the brawl, Devor Stohl sustained a cut to his abdomen, which caused his intestines to protrude. In retaliation, Stohl’s son, and his alleged accomplice, Kyte, attacked the men as they were heading back to their camp.
Hosea Sandy, one of the victims, was stabbed to his back and left arm, while Goddette and France were fatally stabbed. On Christmas Day at about 12:00h, Stohl was air-dashed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was admitted.
A report was later made at the Port Kaituma Police Station. Ranks then visited the area and observed the bodies of Goddette and France lying motionlessly, face-up about 15 feet apart. France was at the time shirtless, and both bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition.
The Police confirmed that the ranks later buried the bodies and marked the general location and direction of the graves with a view to exhume at a later date. Several persons in the area were questioned in relation to the murders. (G1)