Man who fatally stabbed girlfriend 41 times appeals life sentence

A Grove, East Bank Demerara man who was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to a manslaughter charge over fatally stabbing his girlfriend has filed an appeal.

Shivanand Roopnarine, 27, is contending that the custodial sentence is severe in all the circumstances of the case.
Initially charged with the April 2015 murder of 18-year-old Alissa McPherson, Roopnarine opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence when he appeared before Demerara High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon in January 2020.
Reports are that McPherson left her home and went to a party in Sophia, Greater Georgetown, with a male friend. While at the party, McPherson was confronted by Roopnarine, who accused her of cheating on him.
However, when McPherson denied it, Roopnarine took her to the back of a yard, pulled out a black object from the waist of his pants, and stabbed her.
The young woman was discovered in the toilet area with stab wounds. She was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
A post-mortem examination later revealed that McPherson was stabbed 41 times about her body. At a sentencing hearing, Roopnarine’s lawyer had told the court that his client was intoxicated when he committed the offence.
Roopnarine was on the run for the murder for one year.
He was reportedly heading to Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), and while at a checkpoint at Mabura, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), he was asked to produce a form of identification.
It was at this point that Police recognised the young man and arrested him. Following his guilty plea, Roopnarine had begged his now-dead girlfriend’s family for forgiveness. The confessed killer becomes eligible for parole after serving 20 years behind bars.
Justice Kissoon in sentencing the killer considered the victim’s age, the manner in which she was killed, and the fact that a weapon was used to commit the crime. (G1)