Police dectective’s murder... Witness recalls seeing body wrapped in multicoloured carpet floating in septic tank

Police dectective’s murder… Witness recalls seeing body wrapped in multicoloured carpet floating in septic tank

May 01, 2014 News

A Police witness testifying in the murder trial of Desiree Jeffers recalled seeing the body of murdered policeman, Igris Bobb-Blackman floating in a septic tank, after arriving at the crime scene at La Parfait Harmonie.

Jeffers, 61, of Lot 622 La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara is on trial for the murder of the former Police Detective. Her trial begun at the High Court on Monday after a mixed twelve -member jury was selected before Justice Dawn-Gregory.

On Monday, State Prosecutor, Natasha Backer told the court that in January, 2011 police investigators pulled the body of Detective Bobb- Blackman from a septic tank located behind his La Parfaite Harmonie West Bank Demerara home, a day after he went missing.

Ms. Backer is working on behalf of the State, in association with Ms. Mercedes Thompson.

Backer told the court that after the discovery was made and investigations carried out, police detained the accused, who was once the reputed wife of the victim.

DSP Paul told the court that he was attached to the Criminal Investigations Department, (CID) at the Leonora Police Station in January 2011, when he visited a crime scene at La Pairfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, “relative to a report of an alleged murder, which occurred sometime between January 19 and January 20, 2011.”

“Upon arrival at the home of the accused…I went to the back of the yard, where several police officers were carrying out investigations. I saw two septic tanks, one was covered and the other one was open. I saw the body of a human being floating on the surface of the water, inside the open septic tank. The feet were tied together with a rope and the upper part of the body was wrapped in what appeared to be a multi- coloured carpet.”

DSP Paul said that he instructed the ranks to remove the body from the septic tank and as a result of his instructions, “the body was pulled up…the cloth and material covering the upper part of the body was removed to reveal the victim’s head. Gail Franker and Ptolemy Bobb- Blackman were present at the scene; they identified the body to be that of Igris Bobb- Blackman.”

The policeman recalled that there were what appeared to be wounds on the upper part of the victim’s body.

“The accused was present at the time and I told her I have reasons to suspect her involvement in the crime ….she said I aint know anything about that.”

The witness said that the accused later revealed that another person, Delroy Franker called ‘Rasta man’ was at her house the previous night.

“The accused said that Franker told her that Igris had broken into her (Jeffers) house through a window and attempted to remove items, she pointed to a window, which had reinforcement …there was space. Approximately two of the bars, were missing.”

Mr. Paul said that he instructed the policemen to search the premises in the presence of the accused. He said that the investigators recovered a knife and sledge hammer, which had what appeared to be traces of blood on them, but that no fingerprints were found on the items.

Under cross examination by Defence Counsel, Peter Hugh, the witness admitted that investigations which were revealed did not determine who else had keys to the premises besides the accused. Paul also told the court under cross examination that the accused did not seem to be in shock, when she was told of Bobb- Blackman’s demise.

Meanwhile, under cross examination, Police Sergeant and fingerprint technician, Trevor Nedd said that only six finger prints were uplifted from the crime scene.

Nedd claimed that he only dusted the cabinet area in the house, which appeared to have spots of bloods on it, for samples of prints. “I dust the wares in the cabinet and around the area for prints … I did not dust the septic area, since there was a slim chance of recovering prints from the surface of the septic tank area.”

On Monday, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Claybourn Johnson also took the stand. ASP Johnson told the court that he was attached to the La Grange Police Station, at the time of the alleged crime.

Johnson said that he was in charge of the investigations for missing persons. The policeman told the court that relatives of Bobb- Blackman had reported him missing.

As a result, the witness claimed that a search party was sent to the Lot 622 La Parfaite Harmonie home of the accused. He said that he instructed the team to search the premises thoroughly, which included the septic tanks, located at the back of the yard.

He said that prior to the missing person’s report, Bobb –Blackman’s reputed wife (the accused) had visited his office and made complaints that he had stolen her belongings.

Police Sergeant, Corina Campbell and Detective Quincy Granderson also told the court that they participated in the preliminary investigations relative to the murder.