One day after Guyana Times reported on the incident, Police have issued a wanted bulletin for the suspect in the incident in which Sheldon Harry, 22, and his 30-year-old girlfriend Gracey (only name given) were set on fire and were severely burnt on Sunday last during a row at Puruni Landing, Mazaruni River (Region 7: Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
Wanted: Christian Joseph, aka “Son-Son”
In a report issued on Wednesday, the Police have said that Christian Joseph, also known as “Son-Son”, is the alleged suspect who set the couple on fire. Joseph’s
last known address has been given as Kitty, Georgetown.
In the wanted bulletin, Police said Joseph is wanted for questioning in relation to “attempted murder” committed on Sheldon Harry.
Harry’s sister, Sheneel Richards, has explained that her brother was at his camp at Puruni Landing when an argument erupted between Joseph and a woman, and in the height of the argument, Joseph threatened to harm the woman. She said that in a bid to escape the man’s threat, the woman left her mining camp and went over to her brother’s camp, where she stayed the entire day.
While she was there, the suspect went over to Harry’s camp and continued to threaten the woman. Harry reportedly attempted to calm Joseph down, but Joseph instead left the camp and returned with a cutlass, with which he advanced towards the woman.
Sheldon Harry and his Venezuelan girlfriend Gracey
Harry’s sister explained that her brother’s girlfriend Gracey, who is also a friend of the other woman, intervened, but this angered the suspect, and he pushed Gracey out of the way. Richards said that upon seeing this, her brother became angry and an argument ensued between him and the suspect.
The man then left her brother’s camp, but returned with some gasoline and a cloth with a fire, with which he lit Harry on fire. Harry’s girlfriend, who was holding his hand at the time, was also set ablaze.
Harry and his girlfriend managed to make it to a pharmacy at the landing, from whence they were later transported to the hospital in the community, and then medevacked to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where they are both in a critical state.
Up to press time on Wednesday, the suspect had not yet been arrested. Investigations are ongoing.
