By Fareeza Haniff
Residents always saw them hugging while walking through the quiet squatting area of Murphey Street, West Bank Demerara and assumed they shared a happy relationship.
So when the news spread that 40-year-old Nigel Glasgow allegedly strangled his reputed wife to death in the wee hours of Wednesday morning and attempted to burn down his neighbour’s house, almost everyone was left in a state of shock.
Glasgow, who once worked at the Wales Sugar Estate, also attempted to take his own life by slitting his throat; but he was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital and is in a stable condition while he remains under guard. The man also allegedly killed his three dogs.
His stepson and other residents found Glasgow lying on the bed in a pool of blood, hugging the body of 42-year-old Diane Hernandez, who lived at Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara.
News Room understands that the woman was found with a rope tied tightly around her neck and both hands bound. Neighbours said that the house was padlocked from the outside and he may have gained entry via a window after attempting to burn the house of his neighbour, Simone Farley.
Farley, still traumatised by the incident, told News Room that she was awaken by a sound at her window after which she smelled the gasoline.
“I didn’t expect he would have done that….and try to burn down my house. I don’t know wuh run in he. I lie down and see this house look bright. The gasoline wuh the man throw – it strong – and this thing strangling me and when I get up off the bed, I see the fire at the side of the tree and I decide to throw water,” Farley recalled.
She said that on Tuesday afternoon, the couple, who shared a two-year relationship, appeared to be in a good mood as they were playing “love songs.”
“I ain’t hear no rowing or no quarrelling with them. They played nice soul music and so…and I say they got love in Tokyo; I didn’t expect he to do this…,” a still shocked Farley said.
Meanwhile, the man’s cousin, Leon Glasgow, who also lives in the community, rushed him to the hospital after he was informed of what took place. He too remains in a state of shock.
“I left shock because I ain’t expect that because we gaff yesterday afternoon and he didn’t say anything.”
Following the closure of the Wales Sugar Estate, Glasgow took up a job at the Abattoir in Georgetown as a butcher. He has two children from a previous marriage; Diane also had two children, now adults, with her ex-husband.
