Latest update February 4th, 2025 9:06 AM
Sophia murder suspect still to be apprehended, family demands answers
…as reported sightings of suspect surface
Shivanand Roopnarine allegedly snapped and stabbed his girlfriend, Alicia McPherson, some 41 times about the face and body and left her to die next to the washroom at ‘Cappy’s Place,’ ‘B’ Field Sophia, on April 19.
Alicia McPherson, a former student of St. Mary’s
More than two weeks later, the youth is proving too elusive for police investigators. Roopnarine, 21, is yet to be apprehended despite unconfirmed sightings and reports of him altering his appearance. He had reportedly cut his hair to avoid detection.
The suspect, who hails from Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and McPherson, 18, of Lot 612 ‘C’ Field Sophia, were reportedly involved in a tumultuous relationship that sometimes saw McPherson exhibiting physical and emotional signs of abuse. However, relatives said that when asked about her injuries the teen refused to reveal the origins. She was always accused of covering for her boyfriend.
It all culminated in the wee hours of April 19, at a dance being held at ‘Cappy’s Place’. According to reports, McPherson had left her mother’s home around midnight in the company of a male cousin to attend the dance. It is understood that shortly after arriving at the dance, the suspect called her cell phone. She subsequently left her original escort for Roopnaraine’s company.
The girl’s sister related that other party goers saw the suspect assaulting McPherson, shortly
The prime suspect
before they disappeared. According to reports relatives of the girl then began calling her phone. However their calls went straight to voicemail.
It was after another partygoer ventured to the washroom to relieve himself that he stumbled upon the girl’s motionless form. He immediately returned to the front, sounding the alarm that someone had been injured and the music should be shut off.
According to relatives, everyone then ran to the scene, where it was discovered just how badly McPherson was injured. The girl’s sister recounted seeing stab wounds to McPherson’s eyes, face, neck and body. She was reportedly still ‘gasping for breath’ but died en route to the hospital.
Journalist’s conversation with prime suspect
Later, that day, Kaieteur News contacted the suspect on his mobile phone. He immediately denied killing his girlfriend, protesting repeatedly that he was “in love with her and would not hurt her.”
“I lost the woman I love and am confused. People calling me and telling me I do it and I ain’t know what to do. Everybody just calling me and telling me a set of stupidness.” Since that occasion, there has been no further contact with the suspect.
A father’s grief
Relatives, including the girl’s father, Ankoma Powers, have also been victims in this tragedy. Powers had made contact with the suspect later in the day. Roopnarine denied any involvement in the death of his daughter and promised to meet him, first at the East Bank Demerara car park, then at his residence in Grove.
The grief stricken father had gone to the suspect’s house and waited, but Roopnarine never showed up. While there, however, the suspect’s family had related to him of their son’s habit of physical violence towards them.
Powers himself had not been around when the relationship between Roopnarine and his daughter first started. He nevertheless had always encouraged his daughter to bring her boyfriends to him so that he could meet them, stating that he did not want his daughter picking up with someone from the road he did not know about.
“But I never know it was a killer she pick up.”
Powers recounted that having met the boy, he was not impressed with his attitude and had had occasion to reprimand them both. However, his daughter subsequently moved out of his Kuru Kuru, Soesdyke home to live with her mother in Sophia.
Police investigation
The post mortem revealed that McPherson was stabbed 41 times, making her case one of the most heinous for 2015. The suspect is still at large and it is not clear whether he has fled the jurisdiction.
Powers recently related to this newspaper that he is not satisfied with the pace of the investigation, or the way the Guyana Police Force has been keeping him updated.
Since the killing, there has been an outpouring of support on social media in support and memory of the slain girl, both from school friends and total strangers.
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