Latest update April 16th, 2026 4:35 PM
‘American’ identified as Sophia man
Grenade explosion…
By Latoya Giles
After several previous attempts to determine the identity of the Stabroek Market grenade explosion victim known only as ‘American’, the man’s relatives were finally able to make a positive identification yesterday morning at the Lyken Funeral Parlour.
According to sources, a woman named Desrey Bacchus of Lot Block X ‘E’ Field, Sophia, was brought to the parlour by investigators to make the identification.
Kaieteur News was told that the woman confirmed to investigators that the dead man was her 45-year-old son, Hilton Lazarus.
Bacchus was taken back to the Brickdam Police Station for further questioning. According to sources, the man is not an involuntary remigrant (deportee). This newspaper was told that Lazarus originated from the Essequibo island of Leguan, but relocated to Georgetown, a number of years ago.
One source said that the man once lived with his mother at her Sophia home, but moved from the premises several years ago after he developed a drug problem.
Further, the source related that Lazarus hardly kept in contact with relatives, but would periodically run into them at the Market Square.
This newspaper managed to contact a relative of Lazarus, but the woman declined to speak, stating that it was a difficult time for the family.
On Monday, an individual had come forward saying he had reason to believe that the remains may be that of his relative, Gordon Baird.
It was not clear what promoted the man to visit the Brickdam Police Station to assist the police with their investigations.
He was taken to the Lyken Funeral home, and he told investigators that the remains he viewed were that of his cousin Gordon Baird.
Further checks by the police revealed that Baird was a resident at the East La Penitence night shelter.
Ranks turned up at the night shelter and found Gordon Baird alive and well.
Baird, according to police sources, said that he had known ‘American’. According to Baird, he and the man had once worked at the market together.
He described the man (Lazarus) as a drug addict who did odd jobs at the market.
On Wednesday, last, 19 persons were injured and one (Lazarus) killed after a grenade exploded in the Stabroek Market square.
According to Police Commissioner Henry Greene, the dead man was reportedly the one carrying the grenade.
It is not clear if the man picked up the device from a stall which he was cleaning or whether he had it in his possession prior to going to the stall.
However, Commissioner Greene has since stated that the man was believed to be a courier for drugs and other illegal items around the Stabroek Market area.
The stall owner Marlon Hyman called “Bow Wow”, who was detained, has since been released from custody.
According to reports, Hyman was placed on station bail on Monday.
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