Venezuelan national charged for murdering associate who had breakfast with his fiancé

Twenty-seven-year-old Carlos DaSilva, called ‘Carlos Rodrigues,’ has been charged with the murder of Ravindra Alfred.

DaSilva, a Venezuelan national of Tuschen New Scheme, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), was arraigned before Magistrate Crystal Lambert in the Bartica Magistrate’s Court and was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

The charge alleged that on November 13, 2022, at Sand Hill Backdam, Cuyuni River, he murdered 37-year-old Alfred. He was remanded, and the matter was adjourned to December 22, 2022, for filing of statements.

According to the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Corporate Communications Unit (CCU), Alfred and DaSilva were associates and worked nearby at Sand Hill Backdam.

It is alleged that the now-dead man had an intimate relationship with the accused's fiancé, who is also a Venezuelan national.

Alfred’s mother, 61-year-old Indra Singh, had told investigators that on Sunday at about 9:00h, she and her son were in their mining camp at Sand Hill when DaSilva's fiancé came and had breakfast with them.

After the meal, the woman and Alfred left the camp en route to the Backdam. The grieving mother said that on Monday at about 09:00h, she searched for her son, who had not returned from the backdam but was informed by several workers that his motionless body was found with injuries.

As a result, she called the Bartica Police Station and reported the matter. Upon arrival at the scene, Police found the miner’s body lying on the back, cladded in a white t-shirt and brown three-quarter pants.

His body was examined, and a laceration to the left hand was found, along with a gaping wound to his life-side ears, among other areas.