Police have launched an investigation into the alleged murder and suspected arson at Lot 22 Second Street, Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara, which occurred at approximately 01:30hrs today. The incident has left two people dead, including the alleged suspect.
According to police reports, 50-year-old housewife Paula Abraham was allegedly murdered by her reputed husband, Ishwar Singh, a 46-year-old unemployed man. The couple resided at the above-mentioned address along with their 24-year-old daughter, Preeta Singh, a security guard.
Initial investigations revealed that the family lived together in the lower flat of a two-storey wooden and concrete structure. Preeta Singh told investigators that her father was a habitual drinker and was known to be abusive toward her mother, often threatening to kill her.
On the morning of the incident, Preeta was asleep when she was awakened by her mother’s screams. She reported feeling intense heat and, upon investigation, discovered the house was on fire. She immediately exited through the southern door and raised an alarm, prompting neighbours and relatives to respond.
Preeta observed a sofa chair in the hall engulfed in flames, which quickly began to spread throughout the structure. Shortly after, her father emerged from the northern door of the lower flat, visibly burned. The Guyana Fire Service was summoned and managed to extinguish the fire.
Following the blaze, Paula Abraham was discovered lying motionless on a sponge mattress in her bedroom. A stab wound was visible on the left side of her neck, and blood stains were present on her clothing and bed. There were no burn marks on her body or the mattress. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Meanwhile, the upper flat of the house suffered significant fire damage, while the lower flat was partially burnt.
Ishwar Singh was transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital by relatives to receive medical treatment under police guard. However, he succumbed to his injuries at around 10:10hrs. His body is currently at the hospital mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.
See full statement from the Guyana Police Force:
Police are investigating the alleged murder and the ‘setting of fire to a dwelling house with persons’, which occurred at about 01:30hrs today (2025-9-3) at Lot 22 Second Street, Cummings Lodge, ECD. Paula Abraham, a 50-year-old Housewife, was allegedly murdered by her reputed husband, Ishwar Singh, a 46-year-old unemployed resident, both of the above-mentioned address.
Investigations revealed that the victim, the suspect, and their 24-year-old daughter Preeta Singh, a security guard, were all living together at the lower flat of the house, which was a two-storey wooden and concrete structure.
It is alleged by the victim’s daughter that the suspect is a regular drinker of alcohol and was always in the habit of beating the victim and threatening to kill her. On the date and time mentioned, she was at home sleeping when she was awakened by her mother screaming in her bedroom. Preeta said she began to feel heat in the house (fire), and she immediately got up, opened the southern door of the house and ran out. She raised an alarm, and relatives and neighbours came out.
Preeta said she saw the ‘sofa chair’ in the hall of the house was on fire, which began to spread. Shortly after, the suspect (her father) exited the house through the northern door of the lower flat, with burns about his body. The Fire Service was immediately informed and they responded and extinguished the fire.
Afterwards, the victim was seen lying on a sponge mattress in her bedroom, clad in a yellow vest and black short pants, motionless. The body was examined and a stab wound was seen on the left side of her neck with what appeared to be blood stains on her clothing and on the bed. The victim was pronounced dead by Dr. Walcott from the GPHC. The upper flat of the house was damaged, while the lower flat was partly burnt. The victim’s body did not receive ‘burn marks’, nor the mattress.
The suspect, meanwhile, was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital by his relatives, where he was seeking medical attention, under police guard. At about 10:10 hrs today, the suspect (Ishwar Singh) succumbed at the GPHC. The body is presently lying at the hospital’s mortuary awaiting a PME.
Several people were questioned. Investigations are in progress.
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