Child father arraigned with murder of Sophia woman

Less than 24 hours after confessing to murdering the mother of his child, Clevon Hamilton was arraigned for the heinous crime at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on Friday. He was not required to plead to the indictment when it was read by Magistrate Zamina Ally-Seepaul.

The Police stated that between April 16 and 19, at Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara, the 37-year-old man murdered Simone Hackett. During his courtroom appearance, the suspect whose feet and hands were shackled told the court that he hails from Lot 96 Katherine, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, and is a father of two, showing some remorse for the crime.
The Police prosecution told the court that between the aforementioned dates, the suspect contacted the now dead woman and instructed her to collect a package for his son from a friend at UG Access Road, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown. However, the woman went to the location only to see Hamilton instead of the friend.
The Police added that the suspect then lured Hackett into the Cummings Lodge area where he stabbed her several times and slashed her throat after which he disposed of her body in the trench. The prosecutor also told the court that the suspect admitted to the crime during interrogation.
It was reported that the mother of one left home on Saturday evening at about 20:30h to uplift a package but never returned home.
She was due to be maid-of-honour at her sister’s wedding on Sunday last and she also missed her son’s birthday on Monday. The woman’s body was discovered in a trench among the vegetation by two school boys on their way to school.
Hours after the discovery, the Police arrested Hamilton in Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni). He was transported to the CID headquarters where he was interrogated during which he caved under pressure, admitting to committing the crime.
According to reports received, the man told investigators that he travelled to Georgetown on Saturday and stayed at a city hotel. On the night the woman went missing, he reportedly contacted Hackett and made arrangements to meet at the University of Guyana access road.
He then contacted a close friend who collected him from the hotel and dropped him off at the bus shed where he met the woman. At the time, he was carrying a haversack in which the murder weapon was concealed.

The suspect went on to tell the Police that during the meeting, an argument ensued between the two, after he accused Hackett of being unfaithful.
The man, who also admitted that he was jealous, explained that despite them being separated for some time, he was still in love with her.
Added to his jealousy, the man also stated that the woman wanted to take his son away from him; hence he knew he had to get rid of her.
Hamilton admitted that during the argument, he choked the woman after which he pulled out the knife and inflicted the fatal injuries. He then toss her body in the trench, got rid of the murder weapon, boarded a taxi and travelled back to Mahdia.
Meanwhile, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum on Friday confirmed that the car that was used to transport the murder suspect to Mahdia was found abandoned in a bushy area in the mining district.
During an inspection of the car, blood stains were found on the seats. It is believed that after stabbing the woman, Hamilton boarded that vehicle with blood on his clothing.
While the Police continue the hunt for the driver of the car, the suspect was remanded to prison and will make his next court appearance on May 18.