Miner beaten to death by teen employee

A 17-year-old, who was employed at a mining camp in South Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), has confessed to killing his boss following a dispute about money.
Dead is 31-year-old Marcellus “Ton” Reynolds, a miner of Achiwuib, South Rupununi, who owned a four-inch dredge and was killed by the teen on Thursday last at the Marudi Backdam.
Three days later, on December 8, the partially decomposed body of Reynolds was discovered by a pork-knocker, who was walking past Rice Creek, South Rupununi.
The man told the police that he noticed several carrion crows around a large “bulk” and went to investigate. According to him, upon getting closer to the area, he realised that the crows were picking on the remains of a human corpse, that had apparently been left inside what he described as a “shallow grave”.
He said that he immediately rushed to a location where other miners were operating and raised an alarm. The police were then notified.
Investigations into the matter led to the questioning of several of Reynolds’ employees. This newspaper was told that employees divulged to the cops that the teen was involved in an intense argument with their boss on the day he disappeared. According to the employees, the duo had a dispute over payment.
Police detained the teen and grilled him on his involvement in the miner’s death.
This led to the teenager, in the presence of his father, confessing to the cops that he had followed Reynolds to the area where his decomposed body was found and continued their argument there.
He claimed that he picked up a piece of wood and dealt fatal blows to the man’s head and saw the man fall to the ground. He confessed that following the act he returned to the campsite.
According to the police, the 17-year-old male is presently in their custody, as investigations into Reynolds’ death continue.
Meanwhile, law enforcement officials are currently trying to make arrangements to have the decomposed body removed from the area and taken to the Lethem Regional Hospital.
A post-mortem examination (PME) is expected to be done early next week.