Suspected wife-killer ‘Frenchie’ dies

Jan 21, 2017 News

On the run for almost 8 years…passes away 11th day in prison
Almost eight years after telling a Kaieteur News reporter that he would rather take his own life than punish in jail having killed his reputed wife, Charles Chapman called “Frenchie” has died.

Charles Chapman called “Frenchie” in 2009 (left) and when he was apprehended (centre). At right is Savitri Arjune

The 61-year-old murder suspect succumbed at the Georgetown Hospital around 23:00 hrs on Thursday, having spent 11 days in prison. It is suspected that he died as a result of tuberculosis and asthma.
Kaieteur News understands that Chapman had complained of not feeling well on Thursday and was subsequently taken to the hospital where he later succumbed.
On January 9, last, Chapman was arrested at a house in Limlair, Corentyne, where he had been living for the past three years with a friend, having returned from neighbouring Suriname.
At the time of his arrest, the former soldier and seaman sported long gray hair and a heavy beard, and looked nothing like the individual in the photograph that was posted of him several years ago.
Two days after the murder suspect was captured, he was remanded to prison for the March 12, 2009 murder of Savitri Arjune at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara.
Chapman, then 54, was a mini-bus operator, when he allegedly stabbed Arjune to death .
Arjune, 34, called ‘Savi’, of 382 Herstelling, was heading to work when she was ambushed and stabbed multiple times a short distance from her home.
Arjune, who was survived by two children, was in the vicinity of Rum Shop Road and the East Bank Demerara public road when the suspect, who was allegedly hiding near his bus, pounced on her.
The woman, who had endured a stormy eight-year relationship with the suspect, collapsed and died on the spot from stab wounds to the heart and side.
An autopsy revealed that she was stabbed three times with “a very long knife.”
After she collapsed, Chapman reportedly boarded the vehicle and drove to Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara, where he abandoned the vehicle.
Chapman, who spoke to a reporter some four hours after the killing, said that he befriended the mother of two when he was a seaman. At the time, he was residing in Berbice with his wife and family.
The suspect had noted that he left his wife and moved into a house with Arjune. But he alleged that Arjune was constantly unfaithful to him.
Chapman had claimed that he was the abused partner in the eight-year relationship. He also indicated that he would take his own life rather than “punish in jail”.
”I will not to go to jail and punish. I ain’t going to jail to sit down three, four years for my case start. I too old fuh that.”

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News