Argentine forensic assistance being sought in WCB murders

Oct 03, 2020 News

Kaieteur News – The Argentine Team of Forensic Anthropology (Equipo Argentino de Antropologia Forensica-EAAF) is currently being engaged to lend assistance into the investigation of the murders of Isaiah Henry, Joel Henry and Haresh Singh of West Coast Berbice. This was disclosed by the Guyana Police Force – Public Relations Department. In a release, it disclosed that talks are currently underway to have the services of “one of the world’s foremost agencies in forensic anthropology to support the investigation of the Guyana Police Force into the murders of the trio youths in the West Coast Berbice backlands.”
The team is said to have conducted investigations on many “high profile” cases around the world and as such has since offered to send a team to Guyana. The team will include a forensic pathologist, a forensic anthropologist and a forensic radiologist and will also bring along with them the equipment they need.

“Discussions with the Director of the EAAF to bring this initiative to fruition are being undertaken by representatives of the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Human Rights Association and the law firm representing pro bono the interests of the families, Hughes Fields and Stoby. The anticipated outcome will be an unprecedented collaboration of local, regional and international forensic expertise, the EAAF team will build on the forensic work of the regional security system which is currently examining samples from the crime scene, victims and suspects”, the police said.

The team is expected to be in Guyana for a week and a report of its findings will be made available within a month.

“Engagement of a prestigious team such as EAAF increases the possibility of providing the families of the victims with some form of closure as well as securing a successful prosecution of the perpetrators”, the GPF release stated, adding that the report given at the conclusion of the team’s probe “would provide a foundation on which to build more harmonious communities both on West Coast Berbice and throughout the country”.

The organization has worked in 55 countries and most notably dealt with the case of the disappearance of 43 students in Mexico currently attracting much international attention.

EAAF is made up of 70 members with qualifications in different scientific fields, such as anthropology, archaeology, medicine, criminalistics, information technology, biology, and genetics. They work at the different offices that the institution has in Argentina (Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Tucumán) as well as in New York, Mexico, and South Africa.
The Henry boys were found butchered in the Cotton Tree backdam a few weeks ago and, three days after, Haresh Singh’s unconscious body was found in the Number 3 backdam and his motorcycle burnt. He subsequently died at the New Amsterdam Hospital. The deaths of the three boys had sparked nationwide protests that turned into violent riots.