Latest update October 18th, 2026 10:40 AM
No one charged for Berbice double murder
Almost two months later and multiple arrests…
Kaieteur News – It has been approximately eight weeks since the gruesome murders of Melissa Arokium and her 8-year old son Anthony Arokium and after multiple arrests, police investigations appear to have met a dead end, as no one has been charged for the killings.
Deceased: Melissa and Anthony Arokium
The duo was found dead on August 23, 2023, in their Mangrove Street, Rose Hall home. Police commander Shivpersaud Bacchus informed members of the media at the scene that the police received a call about the incident just around noon on the day of the discovery.
The police responded and discovered the bodies of the mother and child in pools of blood; they each bore chop wounds. The mother’s body was found in the hallway of the house while her son’s body was found on the bed in the bedroom.
The gruesome discovery was made by the deceased woman’s younger brother, who had entered the home to utilize the lavatory. Another brother resides in the house behind the Arokium’s house.
The Commander said at the time that four persons were initially questioned about the alleged double murder. According to the police, preliminary investigations indicated that there were traces of blood in the backland area not too far away from where the bodies were found.
An uncle of the deceased woman, 52-year-old Leon Moore, said that he was informed that the woman’s older brother, who lives in a house behind hers, had left for work around at the estate 04:00hr on the morning of the incident. He returned home around 11:00hrs.
Moore said he had not seen the woman and her son that Wednesday morning as Melissa would usually take her son to lessons.
Neighbours said they did not see nor hear anything strange that would have indicated that the due were in danger.
Arrests Made
Subsequently, a number of arrests were made including neighbour Deo Naris called ‘DJ’ of Mangrove Street, Rose Hall Town, the woman’s 33-year-old brother Cerrano Arokium, a cane harvester, and her boyfriend, 37-year-old Shailendra Umrao of Belvedere. Nicholas, her younger brother who made the discovery, was not arrested, however he gave the police a statement since he made the gruesome discovery. A cousin of the deceased was also later arrested.
Of those arrested, the woman’s neighbour and her boyfriend were taken to the city for questioning at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters. They were each released on bail.
Relatives Dissatisfied
The relatives of the late Arokiums had voiced their dissatisfaction and anger that crime scene photos were circulated on social media. They were also angry that no relative was allowed near the house since the day the bodies were discovered.
The family members said they made requests to have access to the home to collect items for the duo to use for the funeral but they were denied.
The victim’s relatives believe that the perpetrator may have been in the house on the day the murders were committed. They believe that the woman’s son was murdered first.
Another arrest
On Sunday October 1st, 2023 police made another arrest in relation to the case. The man was identified as a close relative of the deceased woman. He was found in the house where the murder occurred and he had in his possession three cutlasses and a “Rambo” knife.
The ex-soldier, who is said to be mentally unstable, had chased after Arokium’s elder brother, after he questioned the man’s presence at the premises. Close relatives had indicated that since the death of the woman and her son, the ex-soldier has been laying claim to the property.
Meanwhile, police investigations into the incident are ongoing.
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