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Two young miners are now dead and several others injured after a Christmas Eve hang ended in blood shed over a bottle of champagne.
Dead is 29-year-old Sherwin Goddette of Dredge Creek, Upper Pomeroon and 21-year-old Shawn France of Akawini Creek, Pomeroon.
The suspected killers have been identified Kurtland Damon called Cartoe or Bullet and Thomas Kyte called Taco.
The Guyana Police Force, in a statement, said Goddette and France were employed by 46-year-old Terrence Evans, a dredge owner, at his “4” inch land dredge.
At about 8;00hrs on December, 23 Evans closed off the operation for the Christmas Season and left for Port Kaituma, North West District, leaving his workers in their camps.
The next day, December 24, at about 11:00hrs, Sherwin Goddett, Shawn France, Hosea Sandy, Daniel Beck and Kelon Goddette left their camps and went to the landing at Indra’s Shop where they purchased five bottles of Black Stone rum which they later consume.
About 22:30 hours Shawn France had a heated argument with Marie Welcome age 29 years, bartender at the shop over a bottle of champagne. “Shawn France became annoyed and pelt the bottle to the ground, and a scuffle ensued between persons at the shop. During the scuffle, Shawn France was armed with a scissors and he was attacking everybody at the shop and attempted to stab Alvon Claus, age 35 years, gold miner, and a licenced firearm holder of a .32 Taurus Pistol,” the police detailed.
Claus reportedly discharged a single round in the air after which the fighting ceased.
“During the scuffle Devor Stohl called Jubbu sustained a cut to his abdomen which caused his intestine to protrude. According to Daniel Beck, Kurtland Damon (Cartoe) who is Devor’s father and Thomas Kyte (Taco) attacked them while they were walking back to their camp stabbing Hosea Sandy about his back and left arm and fatally stabbing Shawn Goddette and Shawn France in retaliation,” the police further detailed.
The next day Jubbu was air dashed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he is presently a patient.
A report was made at the Port Kaituma Police Station.
Ranks visited the area and observed the bodies identified as Shawn Goddette and Shawn France lying motionless, face-up about 15 feet apart. Shawn France was shirtless and both bodies were in an advance state of decomposition.
The ranks later buried the bodies and marked the grave as to the general location and direction, with a view of exhumation at a later date.
Several persons were questioned in the vicinity of the crime scene and statements were taken. On 2021-12-30 between 12:00 hours and 15:00 hours at Grant Backdam North West District the ranks made checks for the suspects but they were not contacted.
Investigation ongoing.
