Homeless man arrested for strangling 88-yr-old pensioner
In Berbice…
– confesses to crime
The Guyana Police Force has detained a 30-year-old-man who is said to have no fixed place of abode, in connection with the death of pensioner Fitzherbert Grimes, 88, of Hazel Street, Springlands, Corriverton, Berbice.
Grimes died on Friday, several hours after being admitted a patient at the Skeldon Public Hospital.
He was taken to the hospital around 13:30h by officers, with a lacerated wound to his mouth and swollen eyes.
The suspect was arrested at the scene and has reportedly confessed to the crime
According to the Police, investigations revealed that the suspect who is a frequent visitor of the victim, went to the victim’s home located in the upper flat of the house, shortly after 13:00h on Friday and minutes later, the victim was heard screaming.
The Police who were alerted, responded promptly and reportedly caught the suspect in the process of exiting the yard. Police say the suspect has since confessed to beating the 88-year-old man because of his (victim’s) refusal to give him some of his pension money.
Reports are the suspect had gone to the home of Grimes as he normally did and committed the act which was witnessed by an 11-year-old boy. The boy’s father, Dexter Parks, had gone to run an errand for Grimes at the time, and as he returned he heard his son calling.
“He hollering fo murder! Murder! So I ran and ask he what happen and he say, ‘Come see wah “Odel” doing to the “Big Man Grimes”, so I run inside and go upstairs.”
The house where the 88-year-old pensioner lived and where the crime took place
According to Parks, when he got upstairs, the suspect was still in the act and there was blood everywhere. “He deh on top of the man an choking he… I watching wah going on an I ent know wha fo do…”
He said the blood on the floor and walls came as Grimes was being stamped in the head by the suspect whose name was given by neighbours as “Odel”.
Meanwhile, neighbours reported that following shouts coming from the building, several persons ran into the yard.
Parks said as he watched, someone called on him to apprehend the suspect as he was attempting to leave. “So I hold on to him right here by the door and hand him over to the Police when they come; they did not take long in like five or six minutes they come,” he related.
The deceased is said to have had a good relationship with the community which looked out for him. Grimes had uplifted his pension on Thursday and has a portion of it left on Friday afternoon when the suspect came.
The suspect is a known offender and was released from prison two weeks ago.
He was on Saturday afternoon taken back to the scene where he gave Police a detailed account of what transpired. Meanwhile, Grimes had reportedly told friends that he had plans of living past his 100th birthday.
He leaves to mourn several children. The body is presently at the hospital’s mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination. (Andrew Carmichael)
