Thirty-seven-year-old Randy Clairmont Wrights is the second person to be charged with the murder of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Lieutenant Rondel Douglas.
He appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus on Monday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and was not required to plead to the indictable charge for the capital offence of murder.
Last Thursday, Joshua Parris, called “Stewie”, 25, of Sophia Greater Georgetown, the prime suspect in Lieutenant Douglas’ murder was remanded to prison on a similar charge.
Both Parris and Wrights were remanded until July 14.
The GDF rank was shot and killed on June 7 while trying to fight off carjackers at Col-de-Sac Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has confirmed that Parris provided detectives with a confession statement. He reportedly told detectives that on Wednesday, June 7, he received a telephone call from a friend, “Fox”, who informed him that he had a ‘wuk’ for him; that is, to steal a car, since he already had a buyer willing to pay $700,000.
Without hesitation, he said, he agreed, and a plan was concocted. As such, he went to ‘B Field’ Sophia, where he met “Fox” and waited for another accomplice, Randy Wright, to pick them up. At the time, “Fox” was armed with a black gun.
Parris explained that Wright collected them at about 20:00h, after which they drove to ‘Benjie’s Taxi Service’ at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, (EBD) where they solicited a taxi to take them to Farm, EBD, but the driver refused the job.
This plan having failed, Wright suggested that they travel to the ‘West Side’, to which they agreed. Upon reaching La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD), “Fox” exited the car and walked a short distance to ‘Alladin Taxi Service’, where he requested Lieutenant Douglas to transport him to Georgetown. The soldier had only been in the employ of the base as a part-time taxi driver for less than two weeks.
The plan was for Wright and Parris to follow the taxi, but they lost track of the car. A panicked Wright called “Fox”, and they started to speak in code to get Lieutenant Douglas to slow down.
In fact, “Fox” derived a plan and asked Lieutenant Douglas to stop so that he can purchase some Superbet credit.
Eventually, “Fox” reportedly requested Lieutenant Douglas to drive at a dead-end at Col-de-Sac Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, where Parris walked through a shortcut to reach the car
while Wright waited in his car one street away.
Parris confessed that he attempted to pull Lieutenant Douglas out of the wagon, but the he put up some resistance. “Fox” reportedly got involved in the scuffle, and started to choke Lieutenant Douglas, but Douglas continued to fight back.
In retaliation, “Fox” handed Parris the gun, but Lieutenant Douglas managed to exit the car and rushed behind him. Parris then discharged one round, which hit Lieutenant Douglas and resulted in him falling to the ground.
By that time, “Fox” was already in the driver’s seat, and was soon joined by Parris, as they fled the scene leaving the injured GDF officer behind. The entire episode was caught on CCTV footage, which was subsequently handed over to detectives.
Soon after, the trio met up, and another plan was put into action. “Fox” drove the hijacked car in front while Wright followed. Both cars reportedly drove to Bel Air Road along the Railway Embankment, where they parked the stolen car next to an unfinished concrete structure.
“Fox” and Parris then boarded Wright’s car, and they drove to Pattensen Railway Embankment, where they were supposed to meet the buyer.
Parris told the Police that upon arrival there, he observed a burgundy motorcar parked in a street with two occupants. He said those occupants refused to buy the car after learning that the trio had killed Lieutenant Douglas.
When those buyers went away, the stolen car was collected from where it was parked, and driven to ‘B Field’ Sophia, where the blood was washed off.
It was then driven to Stone Avenue, Campbellville, Georgetown, and parked, while the trio went back to Sophia.
The following morning, the car was discovered by Police with its registration plates missing.
Following Parris’s confession, the Police arrested Wright as investigations continue.
Police are on the hunt for “Fox”.
Another man, 25-year-old Jamie Ghanie of 59 Pattensen-Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown is wanted by the Police for questioning in relation to the Lieutenant’s murder.
Lieutenant Douglas, 32, resided at Bagotsville, WBD with his wife and young daughter. He enlisted in the GDF on February 15, 2012, and was a graduate of the Standard Officer Course 44.
At the time of his demise, he was a full-time student at the University of Guyana, pursuing a degree in computer science.
In a statement, the GDF described him as a committed and dedicated officer who last served as Aide-de-Camp to former Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess.
The Joint Services rank was laid to rest on Monday at the La Grange Cemetery.
