Ex-con appeals life sentence for murder of clothes vendor

Wayne Anthony Chester had last July been sentenced to life imprisonment for murder committed on an overseas-based Guyanese during a robbery, but he is now appealing both his conviction and sentence.
The 26-year-old former resident of Diamond, East Bank Demerara was found guilty of the capital offence of murder in relation to the death of 40-year-old Purcell Moore Jr., who had been shot and killed during a robbery at Craig, EBD on December 20, 2017. Moore Jr had been killed less than two weeks after he and his wife had welcomed a new baby into their family.
After the robbery/murder, Chester had absconded, but was detained by the Police on January 6, 2019 in relation to an armed robbery committed on a Policeman. Chester must serve 30 years before he becomes eligible for parole.

Wayne Anthony Chester is now the third person to file an appeal in relation to Moore’s killing. In June 2021, two men — Selwin Dawson and Kevin Persaud — were each sentenced by Justice Kissoon to life imprisonment for killing Moore. Though initially indicted for murder, the duo, both 23, had opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter. They must each spend 15 years in jail before being considered for parole.
Dawson and Persaud have each filed an appeal against their jail sentences. The convicts’ Notices of Appeal have been filed at the Court of Appeal in Kingston, Georgetown.
At the convicts’ sentencing hearing, Justice Sandil Kissoon had remarked that Moore was “brutally and ruthlessly” murdered for property he had worked hard to acquire.

According to reports, Moore, a clothes vendor who had returned to Guyana from French Guiana for the Christmas holidays, had been returning to his parents’ home after visiting a shop when he was confronted by armed men. An argument had erupted between Moore and the suspects, and a scuffle had resulted, during which several shots had been discharged at Moore before the men had fled the scene.
Chester had shot Moore twice — once to the head, and once to the chest; and during the ordeal, Moore had been relieved of the gold chain he was wearing. The injured Moore was pronounced dead on arrival at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, EBD.
In May 2019, Chester was jailed for a series of offences, including robbery under arms. He was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on the robbery charge; three years’ imprisonment for possession of an unlicensed firearm; three years for possession of unlicensed ammunition; another three years for discharging a loaded firearm; and six months for damage to property. He has completed serving these concurrent sentences.
Chester’s robbery charge had detailed that on January 6, 2019, at Conciliation Drive in Tucville Georgetown, while being in the company of another and being armed with an unlicensed gun, Chester had robbed Policeman Cromwell of $512,600 in cash and jewellery. On the same date and at the same place, he had also damaged car parts belonging to Cromwell, and had shot at him. (G1)