Sir Mars’ murder: Suspect to make court appearance today, after DPP recommends murder charge

Twenty-four-year-old Brian Richard, a resident of the John Fernandes Squatting Area and the suspect whom Police said confessed to killing comedian and educator Kirwyn Mars, popularly known as ‘Sir Mars’, is scheduled to be arraigned in the Diamond Magistrate’s Court today.

Police have instituted a murder charge against this self-confessed murderer after the Director of Public Prosecutions recommended that he be charged with the capital offence.
Mars’s body was found pinned between his car and the fence of an apartment building at Perseverance, East Bank Demerara on May 7. An autopsy revealed that he was stabbed eight times, including to his chest, right shoulder, collarbone, left hand and right elbow, and has given the cause of his death as crush injuries to the chest, compounded by “multiple cutaneous wounds.”

It has been reported that, two days after committing the crime, Richard was arrested at his place of employment.
He has since allegedly confessed to the murder.
In his alleged confession, he detailed that, on the day in question, he and Mars arrived at the Green City Bar in Georgetown, where they consumed about two cases of beer altogether before departing the bar to travel to Diamond via the Mandela/ Eccles Highway. But on their way to that location, a misunderstanding arose between them and a scuffle ensued.
The suspect related that, during the argument, he picked up a bottle and struck Mars in the head, but in retaliation, Mars collected a knife that was in the car and attacked him. The suspect alleges that he managed to relieve Mars of the knife, and in turn stabbed Mars several times.

The suspect told investigators that after receiving the stab wounds, Mars brought the car to a stop at a location in Providence, on the East Bank of Demerara, then exited from the driver’s seat and walked to the back of the vehicle.
Richards said that while he was trying to retrieve his phone, which had fallen in the car during the scuffle, his hand touched the lever and accidentally put the car in reverse, ultimately crushing Mars. After realising what had happened, he said, he panicked and fled the scene.
Sir Mars, who was Deputy Principal at the New Central High School in Georgetown, had been a teacher since 1992. His death has shocked the community, and tributes have been pouring in on social media.