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Linden taxi driver shot, dies in burning car
The burnt out car
The charred remains of 31-year-old Curtis Texwayne Duncan of Silvertown Wismar, was yesterday retrieved from his burnt out car in a clump of bushes at South Amelia’s Ward hilltop, more than 12 hours after he had been shot and burnt alive.
The remains were taken to Georgetown for a pathologist report.
Scores of Lindeners converged on the scene of the tragedy, shortly after daybreak yesterday, and many expressed shock and horror at the gruesome manner in which the popular taxi driver was killed.
Several persons rushed beyond the cordoned off area, to catch a glimpse of the charred corpse when the hearse arrived to transport the remains to Georgetown, but police chased them back.
According to some reports, Duncan had picked up three persons along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, in the vicinity of the ‘Crease,’ a nightspot in South Amelia’s Ward.
Two of the persons were reportedly male, one of whom was dressed in all black, and the other in all white. They were accompanied by a long haired woman, according to reports.
Duncan had reportedly taken the back road, which runs parallel to the highway. He reportedly stopped to drop off the trio. It was at that point that Duncan was shot.
Eyewitnesses, who chose to remain anonymous, said that after Duncan was shot he reversed into the bushes, but apparently could not extricate the car which had somehow become either stuck or entangled in the thick vegetation.
The car later exploded, while the man’s ‘passengers’ made good their escape.
A pastor who said that he was on his way to drop off some persons after attending a fair on the Wismar shore, said that upon seeing the fire emanating from the bushes he drew the conclusion that it was probably some “junkie’ lighting a fire. He was later shocked to learn that it was actually a car that had blown up with its owner, after he was shot.
The Pastor who opted not to divulge his name, said that it is time that the Police exercise more vigilance in the community, and suggested that some of the police that are presently in ‘barracks’ be released to protect and serve as they are mandated to do.
Other persons reiterated the call for street lamps to be installed at strategic points in this desolate area, and suggested that the heavy vegetation be cleared as persons with criminal intent could easily conceal themselves in the bushes with none being the wiser.
Many persons found it incredible that an easy going, courteous and thoroughly likeable fellow like Duncan, could have come to such an end.
His father, Compton Duncan, said that he got the news of the tragedy shortly after 21:00hrs, and immediately went down to the scene, to ascertain whether it was indeed his son, as some sources had claimed.
The remains of taxi driver Curtis Texwayne Duncan
The man said that he positively identified the car as his son’s. A remnant of the
dead man’s white floppy hat was also in the vicinity.
Duncan said that he last saw his son Thursday afternoon and recalled that he was wearing a 30 pennyweight gold chain, which he had given him.
Another relative fighting hard to hold back her tears described the man’s murder as a great tragedy. She described her now dead relation as a very kind, loving and helpful person.
“Texwayne used to help out so many persons. Some of them are now wondering who to turn to. Some of his passengers only had to call him up and he would transact their business for them without that person ever having to leave their house.
“People gonna really miss him.”
Duncan leaves to mourn his mother, Wilma Whinfield, father Compton Duncan, an only sister, the mother of his child Shanella Higgins, a 16-month-old baby girl Caelyn Duncan and 10-year-old Makaylah Duncan from a former relationship.
His murder came exactly one year to the date of the death of another popular taxi driver, Damien Lyndore, whose death has been shrouded in mystery and controversy.
While the police deemed Lydore’s death accidental, his family remains adamant that it was murder.
Police are yet to come up with a motive for Duncan’s murder, and the man’s family are left in a quandary as to who would have wanted him dead and why.
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