Latest update February 8th, 2025 6:23 PM
Latest News
- Soaring gold price entices Canadian company to renew permits in Guyana
- Terrence Campbell accuses Govt. of weaponizing Police Force after calls for accountability with oil revenues
- China slams US as Panama quits Belt and Road Initiative
- Guyana extradites fugitive to Canada
- AFC Leader Nigel Hughes welcomes any investigation into lands he acquired
American-based cop’s body being brought to Guyana
(By Mondale Smith)
New York City cop, Guyana-born Randolph Holder gunned down by a bicycle thief/career criminal in Harlem, will be laid to rest on home soil following his funeral services in New York. Emotions are boiling in New York especially amongst the boys
The late Randolph Holder
and girls in blue, New York Police Department (NYPD) cops, family and friends, the Mayor and most of the New York community about his killing. His remains are due to arrive in Guyana next Thursday, accompanied by some 20 NYPD officers.
In Guyana, Elisabeth Lovell, his grandmother, 74, is depressed in her Agricola home, still in disbelief that her ‘Randy’ is no more.
“I don’t know what I will do, but as it is, I’m in and out of bed. It’s like a bad dream that I wish I could wake up from,” she said fighting her emotions.
The grandmother along with his younger sibling Kellon is planning Holder’s last rites and life celebration on the local shores.
“He was a Catholic so I have made arrangements for his funeral service to be held at the Brickdam Cathedral.”
Ultimately, Holder’s internment will be above the tomb of his late mother, Melrose Esme Lovell, who lost her battle with cancer at age 38.
“When his mum found out that she had cancer she told me: ‘Mommy, I want you to take care of my boys for me’ and I did just that.”
Randolph was 16 and his brother was seven at the time. Although they intermittently got help from relatives, their main means of survival was her Government pension.
The grandmother in whose care Holder was entrusted until he migrated to his father, said, “We didn’t have it easy after my daughter passed away but he was a trained child. Despite his hardships he remained focused.”
At age 19, fire destroyed their Lot 17 Durban Street home leaving Holder, his grandmother and his younger sibling with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They were then taken in by an aunt on Hadfield Street, Georgetown.
“He wrote exams at Dolphin and when he got Christ Church he was overjoyed the same way he was when he sat the CXC exams and did well too.”
The body of Police Officer Randolph Holder is brought to the Jerimiah Gaffney Funeral Home in Far Rockaway.
The woman recalled how disappointed Holder was on his first attempt to be issued his visa to go live with his father in America but one year later he was successful at age 20. There after they shared many telephone conversations and when he joined the NYPD five years ago his grandmother was overjoyed.
“He came back to Guyana on vacation about six times and no matter who offered he a place to stay he always stayed with me and we would laugh and talk about his girlfriends and everything else,” she said.
Holder who migrated to the US 12 years ago, was engaged just over a year ago to US based Guyanese Mary Muhammad whom he met while they were students at Christ Church Secondary School.
Meanwhile JetBlue Airways says it will offer free flights for police officers who want to attend the funeral in Guyana.
The company dubbed it an honor to help shuttle officers wishing to pay tribute to a fallen comrade.
Holder was shot in the head Tuesday evening as he responded to calls of shots fired and a bicycle stolen at gunpoint. Holder and his partner chased the suspect, who opened fire.
Police Commissioner William Bratton in New York said at a news conference Wednesday that funeral arrangements for Officer Randolph Holder were still being finalized.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Due diligence on investments must become a priority
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- In 1985, the Forbes Burnham government looking for economic salvation, entered into a memorandum... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
