GDF Lieutenant was ‘random’ target in car heist worth $700K – killer confesses

…says buyers called off deal after victim was shot to death

Arrested for the murder of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Lieutenant Rondel Douglas, Joshua Parris, also called “Stewie”, of ‘Section C’, ‘Block Y’ Sophia, Greater Georgetown, has confessed that he was part of a plot to steal the car, but not to kill him.
This has been confirmed by Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, who stated that a sworn confession was provided to the Police by Parris. He reportedly told detectives that on Wednesday, June 7, he received a telephone call from a friend, “Fox”, who informed him that he had a ‘wuk’ for him; that is, to steal a car, since he already had a buyer willing to pay $700,000.
Without hesitation, the detainee said, he agreed, and a plan was concocted. As such, he went to ‘B Field’ Sophia, where he met “Fox” and waited for another accomplice, Randy Wright, to pick them up. At the time, “Fox” was armed with a black gun.
The detainee explained that Wright collected them at about 20:00h, after which they drove to ‘Benjie’s Taxi Service’ at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, (EBD) where they solicited a taxi to take them to Farm, EBD, but the driver refused the job.
This plan having failed, Wright suggested that they travel to the ‘West Side’, to which they agreed. Upon reaching La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD), “Fox” exited the car and walked a short distance to ‘Alladin Taxi Service’, where he requested Douglas to transport him to Georgetown.
The plan was for Wright and Parris to follow the taxi, but they lost track of the car. A panicked Wright called “Fox”, and they started to speak in code to get Douglas to slow down. In fact, “Fox” derived a plan and asked Douglas to stop so that he can purchase some Superbet credit.
Eventually, “Fox” reportedly requested Douglas to drive at a dead-end at Col-de-Sac Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, where Parris walked through a shortcut to reach the car while Wright waited in his car one street away.
Parris confessed that he attempted to pull Douglas out of the wagon, but the Lieutenant put up some resistance. Fox” reportedly got involved in the scuffle, and started to choke Douglas, but Douglas continued to fight back. In retaliation, “Fox” handed Parris the gun, but Douglas managed to exit the car and rushed behind him. Parris then discharged one round, which hit Douglas and resulted in him falling to the ground.
By that time, “Fox” was already in the driver’s seat, and was soon joined by Parris, as they fled the scene leaving the injured GDF officer behind. The entire episode was caught on CCTV footage, which was subsequently handed over to detectives.
Soon after, the trio met up, and another plan was put into action. “Fox” drove the hijacked car in front while Wright followed. Both cars reportedly drove to Bel Air Road along the Railway Embankment, where they parked the stolen car next to an unfinished concrete structure. “Fox” and Parris then boarded Wright’s car, and they drove to Pattensen Railway Embankment, where they were supposed to meet the buyer.
Parris told the Police that upon arrival there, he observed a burgundy motorcar parked in a street with two occupants. He said those occupants refused to buy the car after learning that the trio had killed Douglas.
When those buyers went away, the stolen car was collected from where it was parked, and driven to ‘B Field’ Sophia, where the blood was washed off. It was then driven to Stone Avenue and parked, while the trio went back to Sophia. The following morning, the car was discovered by Police with its registration plates missing.
Following Parris’s confession, the Police have arrested Wright as investigations continue. Blanhum has also said that Police are on the hunt for “Fox”.
Meanwhile, Parris was on Thursday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court for the murder of GDF Lieutenant Rondel Douglas.
He was not required to plead to an indictable charge which stated that on June 7, 2023, he murdered Rondel Douglas.
He has been remanded to prison.