A former member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was on Saturday morning stabbed to death by an acquaintance during an altercation at Republic Drive, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
The dead man has been identified as 24-year-old Edward Bevaney, of Lot 115 Ogle Street, Triumph, ECD.
The man was reportedly stabbed once to his left eye and twice to his chest with an ice-pick by the suspect. During the altercation, the suspect was also chopped to his left arm and stabbed one to the left side of his chest.
Based on reports received, the suspect, formerly of Lot 40 Two Friends Village Ann’s Grove, ECD, and the now dead man are known to each other since they worked together in the interior. The two men became enemies following a fight which stemmed from an alleged drug deal gone wrong.
Guyana Times understands that a few years back, the two men reportedly supplied marijuana to miners in the interior. However, after the misunderstanding, they went their separate ways.
Nevertheless, about three months ago, the suspect left his Ann’s Grove home and moved in with a friend at his Beterverwagting, ECD home.
Initial investigations revealed that on the day in question, at about 08:00h, the accused went to a shop in the neighbourhood to collect some cash.
Upon his arrival, he reportedly parked his pedal cycle and ventured into the shop to collect his money but when he came out, his bicycle was missing.
As he enquired about the whereabouts of his cycle, he was told that Bevaney collected it. After some time elapsed, the bicycle was retuned by a third party, “Shoney”. As the young man rode off with his bicycle, he was confronted by Bevaney who was reportedly armed with a cutlass and a knife and an argument ensued.
During the heated argument, the now dead man dealt one chop to the suspect’s left hand and in retaliation, the suspect whipped out an ice-pick from his pants waist and dealt the deceased several stabs to his body. In a bid to escape, Bevaney reportedly jumped into a nearby trench. The suspect later collapsed on the roadway.
The injured men were picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where Bevaney was pronounced dead on arrival. The suspect was treated and was handed over to the police as they continue their investigations.
When Guyana Times visited the home of the dead man, his sister Kimika Bevaney explained that she received a telephone call at about 09:15h from a cousin who related what took place. The cousin urged her to rush to the Georgetown Public Hospital instead of coming home since, her brother was in critical condition.
When she arrived at the medical institution, she was greeted with the devastating news of her brother’s passing. She was however, given the opportunity to see her dead brother who was lying in the Accident and Emergency Unity.
“He had blood all over… he get a jook under he eye, he get jook on his arms and he get jook on he neck,” the aggrieved sister related. She further explained that while the family was not properly briefed on what transpired, she heard that her brother was stabbed to death by a man who is unknown to the family.
She told Guyana Times that her now dead brother was a member of the GDF but after some misunderstanding with his girlfriend, he left. It was then that he went into the interior to work on a mining concession.
The woman is holding out that she does not know the suspect, while noting that jer brother did not have issues with anyone. She also refuted claims that the now dead man was involved in the trafficking in narcotics.
The man’s mother sat on the stairway in disbelief that her son was no more. She was being consoled by other relatives. Bevaney leaves to mourn his mother and six siblings. His body is at the GPHC mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination on Monday.
The suspect is expected to make his first court appearance this week. (Bhisham Mohamed)
