Labourer found guilty of 2018 Kitty murder after retrial

After being on the run for nearly four years, 37-year-old Damian Bissoon, also known as “Damion Sardina” and “Brother,” was found guilty of the 2018 murder of 27-year-old Taj Andrew Jarvis.
The verdict was handed down by a unanimous jury on Thursday at the High Court before Justice Damone Younge in Georgetown, bringing an end to a closely watched trial that began on January 22, 2025.
Bissoon, a labourer from Shell Road, Kitty, Georgetown, was accused of fatally stabbing Jarvis during a violent encounter on March 30, 2018, at the intersection of Barr and Alexander Streets, Kitty.
Reports revealed that Jarvis was walking along Alexander Street with a friend when Bissoon confronted him. An argument ensued, during which Bissoon punched and stabbed Jarvis.

Even after the young man collapsed to the ground, Bissoon continued his brutal attack by kicking him multiple times in the head before fleeing the scene.
Efforts were made to save Jarvis’s life, as he was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), but medical professionals pronounced him dead on arrival.
The tragedy shocked the community and prompted police to issue a wanted bulletin for Bissoon, who managed to evade capture for almost four years.
In 2022, accompanied by his lawyer, Bissoon voluntarily surrendered to the police.
The state’s case was led by Prosecutors Alvaro Ramotar and Delon Fraser, who relied on witness testimonies and forensic evidence to establish Bissoon’s guilt.
One of the key witnesses, Eon Mentore, recounted the events leading up to the fatal confrontation.

According to Mentore’s testimony, Bissoon had demanded repayment of a debt, which Jarvis denied owing. The disagreement quickly escalated into the physical altercation that turned deadly.
Throughout the trial, Bissoon, who was represented by defence attorney Ronald Bostwick, maintained his innocence, denying that he was responsible for Jarvis’s death.
This was not Bissoon’s first time facing trial for the murder.
His initial trial in October 2024, presided over by Justice Peter Hugh, ended without a resolution, when a 12-member jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision after extended deliberations.
As a result, Justice Hugh declared a mistrial and ordered a retrial.
During this second trial, after hearing detailed testimonies and reviewing evidence, the jury took only a brief time to reach a unanimous verdict.
When the verdict was announced, Bissoon remained emotionless as Justice Younge informed him that he would be remanded to prison until his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for 25 February 2025 at 13:00h
The case has drawn widespread public attention due to Bissoon’s prolonged evasion of law enforcement, and the brutal nature of the attack.
Jarvis’s family, who have waited nearly seven years for justice, expressed relief at the outcome.