Man charged with murder of Sand Hill miner

Apr 12, 2024 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Kaieteur News – Two years after Shawn Thomas also known as ‘Troy Richards’ was on Thursday charged with the murder 22-year-old Ray Narain.

Charged, Shawn Thomas

Thomas of Pearl Village, East Bank Demerara made his first court appearance before Magistrate Teriq Mohammed at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court where the murder charge was read to him. He was not required to plead and was remanded to prison until May 3, 2024.

Thomas is accused of murdering Narain, after discharging a loaded firearm towards him at Sand Hill Backdam, Region Seven, on September 22, 2022. Kaieteur News had reported that Narine was fatally shot on that day while his twin brother Ron Narain, and another man, Rakesh Chunilall, 30, of Goed Bananen Land, Berbice were injured during the course of the incident.

According to the police, the brothers operate a dredge in the Sand Hill backdam area. Ron had related to investigators that on the night of the incident, he and Ray left their mining operation and went to Sand Hill Landing and while sitting on the front step of Shanaz Allicock’s shop, a Honda XR motorcycle rode up with both suspects. The young man recalled that the suspects dismounted the motorcycle and hurriedly walked towards their direction with what appeared to be handguns and started to discharge several rounds in their direction.

As a result, he said both he and his brother ran, but the suspects continued discharging rounds in their direction. The young man told police that while trying to evade the suspect, he saw his brother collapse on the roadway as he continued running and he sustained a gunshot wound to his right arm. He said that he sought refuge in some bushes where he remained for about two hours after which he returned to the landing.

When he arrived at the landing, he said that he found his brother lying motionless on the road with what appeared to be blood stains on him. Police had reported that upon examination of Narain’s body, two suspected gunshot wounds to the chest area were seen, along with one-inch lacerations to the abdomen and shoulder, and a two-inch laceration to the right arm. Thomas was arrested on February 23, after the victim’s father recognized him at a fast food outlet on Mandela Avenue.

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2022 murder, charged, Ray Narain, Shawn Thomas, Suspect

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