Body of missing boy found on foreshore

Sep 24, 2017 News

Abigail Archibald (middle) and two of her daughters at her side after the discovery of her son’s body

The six-day search for 13-year-old Leonard Archibald came to a grim end around 15.00 hrs yesterday, when villagers and relatives found his partly decomposed body on the Kortbraadt foreshore, about two miles from his home.
Scouring the area by boat, the search party spotted what they later confirmed to be human remains entangled in a clump of vines near the foreshore.
“Like the boy float and he go and hook up on the vine”, Vernon Cozier, a villager who was part of the search team told Kaieteur News.
He revealed that several parts of the body were “eaten away.”
“He na get eye; he na get no hair; just he one hand eat out…only bone. The two foot at the bottom, bare bone deh.”
The discovery came a day after a fisherman from Sisters Village, East Bank Berbice, confessed to abducting and sodomising Archibald, and dumping the unconscious lad into the Berbice River.
On Friday, detectives found Archibald’s bicycle along the foreshore at Sisters Village, behind the suspect’s home. A bloody sheet was also found a short distance away.
Divisional Commander, Lindon Alves, described the killing as “a heinous crime.” He said that he had reassured the lad’s parents on Friday that he and his ranks would do all in their power to ensure that justice was served.
“I told the parents that this is a heinous crime and that my heart bleeds for them, and that I will commit all my resources to solve this case.”
“I want to commend all the police ranks who ensured that this was not another cold case. We have found the body and have obtained a confession.”
Acting Crime Chief Paul Williams confirmed that only one of the two suspects had confessed.

Dead: Leonard Archibald

Asked about reports that the prime suspect had committed several sexual assaults on other young men, the acting Crime Chief said that the suspects are now being processed, and attempts are being made to have the reports verified.
Kaieteur News understands that the prime suspect, Hillary Edwards, is being questioned at CID Headquarters, Eve Leary.
He reportedly told investigators that he and another man abducted Archibald last week as the 13-year-old was cycling home along the Sisters Village Public Road.
Archibald was then sodomised until he was unconscious. His abductors dumped his body in the Berbice River, some 200 feet behind the prime suspect’s home.
Archibald was abducted shortly after returning from a birthday celebration in Sisters Village where he had accompanied his two sisters.
The sisters returned home at approximately 19:30 hrs, only to be told by their mother that Leonard had not arrived. The parents eventually contacted neighbours and began searching for the teen.
A missing persons report was then made at the Sisters Police Station.
His body is currently at the Arokium Funeral Home.
He is survived by his parents and nine siblings.

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