“Buyers refused to take hijacked car after learning soldier was murdered” – suspect says

Jun 16, 2023 News

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Murder of GDF officer…

Kaieteur News – Joshua Parris called “Stewie, the suspect accused of killing a Guyana Defence Force officer while hijacking his car has reportedly told police that he was forced to abandon the stolen vehicle after the buyers refused to take it.

Parris alleged that the buyers, who had contracted him, wanted nothing to do with the soldier’s car after learning that he was shot dead. Police arrested Parris on Tuesday at Sophia after identifying him as one of the suspects involved in killing Lieutenant Royden Anthony Douglas and stealing his car. The lieutenant attached to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard was shot dead last Wednesday while fighting off two carjackers from stealing his car at Cul-de-Sac Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Following Parris’ arrest, the Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum told Kaieteur News that he was cooperating with investigators.  Kaieteur News later learnt that Parris confessed to police and implicated more suspects in the crime. Parris reportedly told investigators that his accomplice, “Fox” contacted him on the day of the incident “with a job.” The suspect claimed that the job was to steal a car for a buyer willing to pay them $700,000.  He reportedly agreed to do the job and met up with Fox in B-Field, Sophia. There they waited for an individual called Randy to pick them up in his car.

Randy, Parris alleged, took them to Herstelling on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) to lure a taxi driver at “Benjie’s Taxi Service into their trap. As was planned, Fox posed as passenger and approached one of the drivers at the base and requested a hire to Farm, EBD. The driver, however, refused and the trio came-up with another plan. According, to Parris, Randy was the one who allegedly devised the second plan for them to look for a random taxi on the West Side.

They drove over the Demerara Harbour Bridge and towards La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD) and decided to target a driver at Alladin’s Taxi Service. Fox exited their car which was parked a fair distance away from the location and walked toward the base posing again as a passenger. Lieutenant Douglas agreed for a hire towards Georgetown. After the soldier drove off with Fox, Randy and Parris allegedly trailed them in their car.

Parris reportedly told investigators that while crossing back the Harbour Bridge, he and Randy lost track of their victim’s car. They then called Fox and instructed him via a code language to stall their victim so that they could catch up. Fox managed to convince Douglas to stop at a location where he could purchase some Superbet Credit. Randy and Parris were finally able to catch up with them and Fox re-entered – their victim’s car and directed him to the end of Cul-de Sac Street, North Ruimveldt.

Randy and Parris drove up ahead to the location and he (Parris) got off, walked through a short cut to Cul-de-Sac Street and waited in the bushes to sneak-up and pounce on their victim. When Fox and the victim pulled up, he made his move. He allegedly walked up to the driver’s side pulled open the door and attempted to pull Douglas out but the soldier fought back. Fox and his accomplice began choking their victim to restrain him but Douglas reportedly continued to fight them off.

During the scuffle, Fox allegedly handed Parris a gun while the soldier slipped out of his grip. Parris allegedly recalled that at this point, Douglas exited the car and chased after him.

He then shot the soldier twice, before running towards the victim’s car. He entered and Fox allegedly drove off.  Parris claimed that Fox drove to Bel Air road where he parked next to an unfinished concrete house where Randy met up with them. Randy then told them to head to Pattensen along the Railway Embankment to meet the buyer.

When they arrived, alleged Parris, they met two men in a parked burgundy car who refused to take it after learning that they had killed the owner. Parris allegedly said that he and Fox then drove the stolen car to B-Field, Sophia where they bought bleach and soap powder to wash off Douglas’ splattered blood from the vehicle.

They then abandoned it on Stone Avenue, Campbellville.  Police arrested Randy on Wednesday night and he has since admitted his involvement in the deadly carjacking. As police hunt the other suspects, Parris was on Thursday arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on a charge of murder and was remanded to prison.

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• buyers, confessed, Joshua Parris, Royden Douglas, Suspect

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