Gunpowder residue found on O’Riley’s alleged killer

Mar 22, 2016 News

-suspect admits to dropping victim home
Forensic experts have found gunpowder residue on the hands and clothing of a detained night club security

Executed: O’Riley Small

guard, who is the suspected trigger-man in the killing of O’Riley Small.
Kaieteur News understands that some of the residue was retrieved from a ‘hoodie’ that detectives retrieved from the suspect’s car shortly after arresting him at the night club at which he was employed.
An eyewitness had told police that the gunman who killed Small was dressed in a similar ‘hoodie.’
“Based on (forensic) analysis, large quantities of gunpowder residue were detected on both the jacket and body of the suspect.
“This is consistent with evidence gathered so far that ‘Max’ (the suspect) was the trigger man,” a police source said.
A postmortem revealed that Small, 31, was shot nine times at close range with a firearm that used .40 ammunition.
The ammunition, which is of a larger calibre than the 9mm ammunition, left gaping holes in the victim’s chest, stomach, back, neck, jaw, thigh and one of his hands. The cause of death was given as shock and haemorrhage.
While the suspect has denied killing Small, he has reportedly admitted to dropping the victim home on the night he was slain. Both the alleged gunman and his target were employed at the same night club.
Police, who appear confident that they have cracked the case, have applied to the High Court to keep the alleged gunman and another detained man in custody for a further 72 hours.
But they are still to detain the alleged mastermind, who police have described as a known drug dealer.
Investigators have declined to comment on the possible motive for Small’s execution.
Small, of Lot 2 Smyth Street, was riddled with bullets just as he returned home from one of the city night spots.
According to information received, he had just entered the front gate and was walking through a dark pathway at the side of the house to get to the back of the property when a man, dressed in a hooded T-shirt, confronted him.
There are reports that the father of one said, “Hey boy move from deh” to the gunman who then opened fire.
This newspaper understands that as Small lay on the ground, the hooded shooter proceeded to pump several more bullets into him. He died on the spot.
Small’s aunt, Gail Ann Edwards, said that she was awakened by the sound of gunshots and then heard her nephew’s screams.
Some eyewitnesses recalled seeing a silver-grey car parked near Small’s residence prior to the shooting.
In January 2010, Small was shot when a gunman opened fire and killed one of his friends, Vibert Weekes, a short distance away from the popular “Red Dragon” night club on Robb Street.
There are reports that a bet of $100,000 made between Small and the gunman cost Weekes his life.
In January 2012, Small was remanded to prison on an attempted murder charge.
The allegation was that on January 9, 2012, with intent to commit murder, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded New York-based Guyanese, Felix Alleyne, who lost one of his kidneys after Small shot him.
That case was subsequently dismissed after Alleyne refused to testify.
In June 2012, Small, a former footballer was shot three times at a football match by a gunman who approached him from behind.
In November 2013, he was among three who were jointly charged with break and enter and larceny committed on Central Electronics located on Robb Street, Georgetown.
It was alleged that they stole $9.2M worth of items, including a flat screen television set and a metal safe, along with cash.
Some have suggested that Small may have been slain for his alleged role as an informant.
In February, 2013, three bandits were shot dead by police, while attempting to enter the premises of businessman Wayne Heber at Premnaranjan Place, Prashad Nagar. Relatives of Leon Gittens, one of the slain men, alleged that O’ Riley Small had come to Gittens’ home and called him out that night.