Latest update April 17th, 2025 8:10 AM
‘Sharky’ gets life sentence for killing clothes vendor
Kaieteur News – Twenty-six-year-old Wayne Anthony Chester called “Sharky”, was on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Purcell Moore Jr. a clothes vendor, which occurred at Craig, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
Moore was gunned down during a robbery at Craig Old Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD) in 2017.
Chester had denied the charge which stated that on December 20, 2017, at Craig, E.B.D, during the course or furtherance of a robbery he shot and killed Moore. In June, Chester was found guilty of the capital offence by a jury.
Dead: Purcell Moore Jr.
Jailed: Wayne Anthony Chester, called “Sharky”
He was on trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court. In this matter, the State was represented by Tiffini Lyken, Simran Gajraj, Rbina Christmas, and Cicelia Corbin. Chester was represented by attorney-at-law Adrian Thompson.
On Friday, Justice Kissoon in handing down his sentence noted that Chester is only eligible for parole after serving 30 years in jail.
In June 2021, Justice Kissoon imposed life sentences on two men, Selwin Dawson, called “Crack Skull”, formerly of First Field, Kaneville, EBD, and Kevin Persaud called “Boyce”, formerly of Fourteen Avenue, Diamond, EBD, who were also on trial for the murder of Moore.
The duo, who initially pleaded not guilty to murder, pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. As such, Justice Kissoon directed the jury to return a formal verdict of guilty in relation to the lesser count. This resulted in Dawson, and Persaud being sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum term of 15 years.
Notably, Chester is said to be the one who shot and killed Moore.
According to reports, on December 20, 2017, Moore, 40, was shot during the course of a robbery. Reports revealed that the father of two was robbed of his gold chain and other jewellery.
The clothes vendor had reportedly just celebrated the birth of his third child when he was gunned down, after being cornered by a group of men. He sustained two gunshot wounds to the head during the attack, which occurred one street away from his mother’s home at Craig.
Reports are that the man had returned from French Guiana several weeks prior and may have been monitored by his attackers. The man had lived in Cayenne, French Guiana with his wife and two children, but came to Guyana for the birth of his son.
Moore was said to have been returning to his parents’ First Street, Craig residence from a shop when the suspects, one of whom was armed with a handgun, confronted him. An argument reportedly erupted between Moore and the suspects and escalated into a scuffle, during which the individual with the gun discharged several rounds at Moore, shooting him to the right side of the chest before fleeing.
Moore was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Police had arrested the suspects shortly after the shooting.
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