Latest update January 18th, 2025 7:00 AM
Suspect held in Courtney Crum-Ewing assassination
– Crime Chief describes arrest as ‘significant development’
Assassinated: Courtney Crum-Ewing
Four months after he was assassinated with a bull-horn in his hands, police appear to be close to solving the murder of political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing.
Crime Chief Superintendent, Wendell Blanhum, announced yesterday that ranks from the force’s Major Crime Investigation Unit have questioned a suspect in connection with the March 10, 2015 killing that shocked the nation.
Blanhum said that the suspect, whom he declined to identify, was contacted and questioned yesterday and remains in custody.
“We have a new lead…Investigators are working on a new lead on the Crum-Ewing case,” the Crime Chief said.
“During the course of today, ranks from the Major Crime Investigation Unit conducted an intensive interview with the suspect.”
Declining to say whether the motive seems to point to a “political assassination,” Senior Superintendant Blanhum noted that the investigation is still in its “preliminary stage,” but described the arrest as “a significant development.”
Contacted last night, Crum-Ewing’s mother, Donna Harcourt, said that she too had heard about the arrest.
“I feel good; I thank God that they are making progress. I hope that all of them will be brought to justice. People must not be allowed to kill and go free.”
Crum-Ewing, a former Queen’s College student and army officer, was riddled with bullets on the evening of Tuesday March 10, 2015, as he stood on Third Avenue in the Diamond New Scheme.
A post mortem revealed that he was shot thrice in the head and twice in the chest. The killer used a .32 pistol and fired at such close range that gunpowder burns were left on his victim’s clothes and body.
His assassination occurred as he used a bullhorn while advocating for persons in the Diamond New Scheme, East Bank Demerara, area to support A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition in the May 11 General Elections.
This had prompted many to suggest that his murder was being politically motivated.
Police had stated that Crum-Ewing was accosted by four men in a car, one of whom discharged several rounds, hitting him about his body.
Detectives had also heard that the activist had a brief verbal confrontation with the alleged killer before he was shot.
Crum-Ewing’s relatives have alleged that he had complained twice of receiving threats. This occurred when the 40-year-old ex-army officer began staging his one-man protests, lasting some 80 days, outside Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall’s Carmichael Street office, while urging the Attorney General to resign in the wake of a recorded telephone conversation between himself and a Kaieteur News journalist.
The first threat was reportedly made by an individual, who allegedly drove up to Crum-Ewing and said: “Anil ain’t going nowhere, so you better go or else…”
On another occasion, he was reportedly told: “Crum-Ewing, you don’t mean to stop this stupidness?” They said that the protestor had reported these threats to the police and identified one of the individuals, but no action was taken.
Crum-Ewing’s minibus was also vandalized.
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