Ex-convict charged with killing niece over gold earrings

Eighteen-year-old Sherwyn Roberts, who is accused of killing his 18-month-old niece over a pair of gold earrings was on Tuesday charged with murder.

The unrepresented man appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court and was not required to plead to the capital offence of murder.

It is alleged that on September 1, 2017 at Lot 98 North Sophia, Georgetown, he murdered Ronasha Pilgrim. Police Prosecutor, Arwin Moore told the court that the postmortem report is still outstanding as he requested a short adjournment date.

The Magistrate adjourned the matter to September 25, 2017 and placed the ex-convict under the supervision of a probation officer.

According to reports, on the day in question, the toddler was at home with her two older brothers—12-year-old Ryan and 10-year-old Ron Junior- in their one-bedroom house, while their father worked the night shift as a security guard.

At around 03:00hrs, Roberts allegedly gained entry to the house by breaking a louvre window in the bedroom and attempted to relieve the toddler of her earrings. When the child began to scream, the man reportedly tossed her through a window into the swampy yard.

Before leaving, he placed a pile of wood on top of the shallow grave and buried the toddler alive. Her body was submerged in water and slush and was pulled from the three feet deep muddy grave approximately an hour after it was buried there.

He was arrested at his ‘B’ Field Sophia home shortly after the incident. He had confessed to police at the Prashad Nagar Police Station and explained to ranks that he was “high on weed”.

The child’s father, Ron Pligrim had told News Room that he and the accused do not share a good relationship since he was recently released from jail. Pilgrim works as a handyman during the day and a security guard in the night, in order to take care of his four children.