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A crow, a skeleton, an empty camp
By Michael Jordan
On Saturday, February 9, 2019, a miner went to a camp at Arimu Backdam, Cuyuni River,
to ask the owner about a component for his dredge.
Philbert Fraser
The camp belonged to Philbert Fraser. Also known as “Rasta Royo,” the 60-year-old dredge owner from Bartica had virtually “cut his teeth” in the gold bush.
But the visitor found the camp eerily empty.
As the puzzled man stood in the camp, he was startled by a carrion crow that flew out of the nearby bushes.
Further unsettled by the presence of the vulture, the visitor began to scour the area.
What he eventually found caused him to contact the police.
Just outside the camp was the skeleton of a man. The remnants of the victim’s clothes were among the remains. The victim had sported dreadlocks, just as the camp owner, ‘Rasta Royo’ had.
Police were certain that the victim was Philbert Fraser, since the dredge owner had not turned up, and neither had his crew.
It would take some nine months before DNA samples, taken from the bones and from Fraser’s close relatives, would confirm that the dead man was indeed Fraser. And while a pathologist was unable to determine how Fraser had met his demise, investigators were certain that his death had been anything but natural. But who had murdered him?
According to reports, Fraser had closed camp in December 2018 and headed home.
In January 2019, Fraser was reportedly short of workers, and hired three new crewmen. It is alleged that at least two of the men, reportedly known only by their aliases, had stayed at the dredge owner’s home.
According to an individual close to the dredge owner, “Rasta Royo,” had observed that one of his crew members always appeared to be apprehensive when policemen were nearby. The dredge owner had concluded that this crew member was dodging the law.
It is alleged that on Wednesday, January 16, 2019, Philbert Fraser and two of his workers headed from Bartica to his Arimu Backdam camp. He reportedly hired another worker near his site.
That was the last time that relatives heard from him.
According to one source, evidence in Fraser’s camp suggests that he was slain shortly after the crew had finished a round of prospecting. This appeared to suggest that his killers had made off with whatever gold that the crew had found.
But the police, and some individuals close to the victim, believe that robbery was not the primary motive.
Police say that Fraser had been charged in connection with an altercation, in which another miner was injured. He is said to have had disputes with other individuals, including one former employee.
Police have indicated that they have stepped up the hunt for Fraser’s killers.
The prime suspects appear to be some of the men that he had hired, and who have apparently gone into hiding. And while “the bush” is a vast place of closely guarded secrets, investigators hope to find them soon.
If you have any information about this or any other unusual case, please contact Kaieteur News by letter or telephone at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown offices. Our numbers are 592-225-8465, 592-225-8473 and 592-225-8458. You need not disclose your identity.
You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email address kamarangnight @gmail.com.
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