Thomas Kyte called ‘Taco’ one of the two men wanted by the Police for the December 23, 2021, double murder at Nassano Landing, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini) has surrendered to the Police.
Kyte surrendered at the Matthew’s Ridge Police Station on Thursday in the company of his Attorney-at-Law, Bernard Da Silva. He was immediately taken into custody as investigations into the murders continue.
Also wanted for the double homicide is Kurtland Damon called ‘Cartoe’ or ‘Bullet’. Dead are 29-year-old Sherwin Goddette, a gold miner of Dredge Creek, Upper Pomeroon, and Shawn France, 21, of Akawini Creek, Pomeroon.
Investigations revealed that the now-dead men were relatives. Based on reports, at around 08:00h on the day in question, the dredge owner reportedly closed off operations for the Christmas holidays and left, leaving his employees at the worksite.
At around 11:00h on Christmas Eve, France and Goddette, and three other employees left their camps and went to the landing where they began to consume alcohol. However, at about 22:30h the said day, France was engaged in a heated argument with the bartender over a bottle of champagne.
France reportedly became annoyed and threw the bottle to the ground, thus resulting in a scuffle among the persons at the drinking spot. During the scuffle, France armed himself with a pair of scissors and attacked those present.
As he was about to attack a 35-year-old gold miner, he was stopped in his tracks when the man whipped out his licensed firearm and discharged a single round in the air. A Police report said that the fighting ceased immediately.
During the brawl, Devor Stohl sustained a cut to his abdomen which caused his intestines to protrude. In retaliation, Stohl’s son, who is one of the wanted men, and his accomplice Kyte attacked the men as they were heading back to their camp.
Hosea Sandy, one of the victims, was stabbed to his back and left arm, while Goddette and France were fatally stabbed. On Christmas day at about 12:00h, Stohl was air-dashed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was admitted.
A report was later made at the Port Kaituma Police Station.
Ranks then visited the area and observed the bodies of Goddette and France lying motionlessly, face-up about 15 feet apart. France was at the time shirtless and both bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition.
The Police confirmed that the ranks later buried the bodies and marked the general location and direction of the graves, with a view of exhumation at a later date. Several persons were questioned in the vicinity of the crime scene.
Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Kurtland Damon is being asked to contact the Police on telephone numbers 226-6978, 225-8196, 265-2233, 265-2222, 227-1149 or the nearest Police station.
All information will be treated with the strictest of confidence.
