As detectives continue their investigation into the murder of 21-year-old Shonette Dover, two Linden men have been arrested in relation to the sale the murder weapon used in the woman’s killing.
Shakeel Austin of Lot 200 Block 22, Wismar, Linden was arrested on Saturday in the mining town after which he was taken to the Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters in Georgetown where he was told of the shooting to death of Dover at Canvas City, Wismar Linden which occurred on April 3, 2021.
During interrogation, Austin told detectives that during the search for Dover, Alleyne told him that he had a .38 special pistol to sell for $100,000 and if he knew of anyone who had wanted it. However, Austin agreed to keep the weapon and lend him the cash.
Austin further explained that he later met the murder accused at a house not far from Bayroc Ground where he handed over the money and collected the firearm which he kept at his aunt’s house at Cinderella City.
Austin further added that about two weeks later, he learnt that Shonette’s sister went to the police and told them that Alleyne had shot and killed Dover thus resulting in a manhunt for him.
Following this development, he realised that the said gun was the murder weapon and as such made attempts to get rid of it. He then contacted one of his friends and offered to sell the gun for $50,000.
The friend later met Austin and the firearm was handed over but he had no money to pay for the gun and as such an agreement was brokered to fence Austin’s yard as payment.
After receiving this information, the police travelled to Linden where they confirmed Austin’s story.
The friend, whose name was not released, was subsequently arrested on Monday. Detectives are hoping that he will lead them to the murder weapon.
Shaquawn Alleyne who has been on the run since committing the act was recently arrested in Suriname and handed over to local law enforcement officers.
After being shot and killed on April 3, 2021, Dover was buried in the suspect’s backyard, but a younger sister of the victim, who had witnessed the shooting, alerted Police to what had transpired.
With guidance from that sister, the victim’s decomposed body was found in a shallow grave aback Alleyne’s Canvas City Linden home on April 30, 2021.
Alleyne’s father and Dover’s 15-year-old sister had been arrested during the investigation. Police had indicated that the teen had led them to the shallow grave where the missing woman’s remains were buried after confessing to being at the scene of the crime when the woman died on April 3, 2021.
A post-mortem examination (PME) had been conducted on Dover’s body, and it revealed that she had died as a result of a single gunshot injury to the head.
On May 4, 2021, Dover’s teen sister was charged with accessory after the fact of murder in relation to Dover’s death.
Alleyne had since managed to elude the Police, and Guyanese authorities had strongly suspected that he had fled to Suriname to evade arrest.
After a thorough investigation, he was identified, arrested, and handed over to the Police in Suriname for arraignment.
He has since told detectives that he accidentally shot his girlfriend and that it was not premeditated.
He alleged that Dover had made breakfast on the day in question and they were all sitting in his living room when he sent her 15-year-old sister to fetch him his .38 revolver.
The suspect further stated that while cleaning the weapon, he pulled back the hammer pointed it and waving it around. Dover, he claimed, cautioned him about playing with the weapon but his finger fell on the trigger and it went off.
