“Short Boss” appealing life sentence over killing of Timehri youth

 Travis Evans, called “Short Boss”, is appealing the life sentence imposed on him for the killing of 21-year-old Ronsley Clarke, whom he shot dead at a Sophia party back in 2018.
Initially indicted for the capital offence of murder, 26-year-old Evans had appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon in the Demerara High Court in April and had pleaded guilty to manslaughter, for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment with eligibility for parole after serving 25 years.
Evans unlawfully killed Clarke on August 2, 2018 in the county of Demerara. The Prosecutor had stated that on the day in question, Clarke, a mason of Timehri, East Bank Demerara, and his girlfriend were at a birthday celebration at “C” Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown. While Clarke was sitting next to a horse cart with his friends, Evans walked up to him and shot him before escaping. He was subsequently arrested, and according to the prosecutor, he gave Police ranks a caution statement in which he stated that he and Clarke had had a disagreement a day before, and as a result, he shot him.
Reports are that Clarke was shot to his right-side rib and his right-side upper back in the presence of his girlfriend. His cause of death was given as haemorrhage and shock due to gunshot wounds.
During a sentencing hearing, Justice Kissoon had told Evans, “This is the gravest offence that can be committed by man on his fellow man.” Considering this, the Judge noted that although the factors highlighted in mitigation were considered, they would not be of tremendous aid, given the circumstances under which Clarke had met his demise.
According to the High Court Judge, apart from sexual offences, which account for a large portion of matters listed in the criminal assizes, murder also dominates the list.
Evans is also charged with the 2018 murder of 46-year-old Gregory Frank. That charge against Evans alleges that between July 31 and August 2, 2018, at Kuru Kururu, Linden-Soesdyke Highway, he murdered Frank during the course of a robbery.
According to reports, Frank, a legal clerk, was found lying in a pool of blood in his home at Lot 686 Kuru Kururu, Linden-Soesdyke Highway. The gruesome discovery was made by Frank’s father after he had suspected something was amiss and had decided to check on his son.
A post-mortem performed on Frank’s body revealed that he died as a result of asphyxiation due to compression injury to the neck, compounded by blunt trauma to the head.
Moreover, Evans is awaiting trial at the High Court in Demerara for rape. It is alleged that on October 30, 2010, in the county of Demerara, he engaged in sexual penetration of a woman without her consent.
He was also charged with robbing the same woman of $650,000 on the same date, while being armed with a knife. He pleaded not guilty to this charge, but was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment by a High Court Judge.
Evans was among three prisoners who escaped from the Lusignan Prison in October 2018. For that offence, he has also been sentenced to a term of imprisonment. (G1)