Body in barrel identified as Venezuelan woman…Lover nabbed near Canje Bridge denies killing her

Apr 13, 2020 News

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The man who lived with the woman whose decomposed and battered body was found stuffed in a blue barrel on Saturday, was yesterday morning captured by cops in the vicinity of the Canje Bridge, East Berbice.

Suraj Veersammy called Radesh, 30, a labourer, is presently in police custody but has since denied killing his partner.
There were reports that he had injuries to his body.
A senior police source disclosed that Veersammy is claiming that when he returned home from work a few days ago he could not find her.
It was on Saturday morning that a cane harvester, of Belvedere, awoke to an unbearable stench which led him to the discovery of a body tucked in a blue barrel that was in a trench located opposite his home.
While no one at that time could identify who the female was, villagers had suspected that it may have been a woman that recently moved in with her male partner, now identified as Veersammy.
They were living a street away from where the barrel was found.
Neighbours had recalled seeing a blue barrel in the yard of the property the couple lived in but that barrel nor the couple were seen in days.
Kaieteur News was told that the couple had frequent fights that turned physical.
Veersammy worked at a local poultry outlet and was last seen by one of the employers Saturday afternoon.
He reportedly showed up to uplift wages. According to one of the employers: “We sent him home Wednesday and Thursday he came back and told us that his wife dead at the hospital and that he want borrow $5,000 and that he will take it out his pay and that his mother taking over the dead.”
The employer further disclosed”: “He came back Saturday around 1pm to collect the rest of his pay which was just $1,000. That was before the police came and let us know what happen. He said he come collect his pay and that he gotta go 63 (beach) for the funeral and that the hearse left already.”
That information was given to the police, the employer said. Veersammy was not heard from or seen since.
Meanwhile, mother of the suspect, Sattie Veersammy, told this publication that the individual is her biological son but there was no love or care for him because of the things he did to her.
She disclosed that he uses drugs.
He lived with her at her Kilcoy Squatting Area residence up until 2010 but was asked to leave after he embarked on a troubling path of stealing from her.
She stated that on many occasions she would find items or cash missing from her home.
It did not take long to realize it was her son.
One time he threatened to kill her. He was asked to leave.
The woman, who also has two daughters, revealed that when he moved out he “was all over the place” and would regularly end up behind bars.
He was released from prison late last year and one day showed up at her home with a female. She added that while she was reluctant to engage with Suraj, she obliged and he introduced the female to her and told her that he was sorry for all that he did to her and that he wanted to make a change. He said he intended to make the woman his wife.
According to Sattie, she learnt that the woman was from Venezuela and went by the name of ‘Vanessa’.
The woman claimed she grew up in an orphanage and was 23.

It was the same ‘Vanessa’ who was found stuffed in the blue barrel on Saturday, the mother confirmed.
Sattie insisted that she was willing to give her son a chance to change as she thought that just maybe having a woman in his life would serve as a motivation.
But she was not prepared to have them live with her. She told him to find a place and that she would assist them to move in.
They found a place in Belvedere and the mom chipped in with kitchen items, household items and two blue barrels to move in with.
The suspect and ‘Vanessa’ had been together for five months prior to her death,
Sattie said she grew close to the woman.
“Me na care or love he (Suraj) like how me love and care for that girl (Vanessa). She was good to me, she was a quiet girl but I really liked her so when me hear what happen Saturday me whole inside start burn, she na deserve it.”
The woman recalled that during the time ‘Vanessa’ was with her “troubled son”, she would often visit her and help.
The dead woman on occasions would hint of physical abuse.
Sattie believes that maybe if ‘Vanessa’ had spoken more about their relationship/ troubles to her, it would have helped.
Now, the mother is left grieving for someone she regarded as her daughter- someone she said her son did not deserve.
According to the mother, the last time she saw ‘Vanessa’ was a few weeks ago. She said her son had visited her home last Monday to borrow $500 to buy something to cook. She gave him $400 and he left.
The woman’s body that was found stuffed in the blue plastic barrel was already in a state of decomposition.
Police had indicated that she may have been dead for a few days. She was clad in a green and white striped dress with a bed sheet tied around her neck.
There were apparent marks of violence to the left eye, stomach, left shoulder, left hand and left leg.
The body is awaiting a post mortem examination.

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