2017 shallow grave murder: Farmer jailed for 12 years

A 30-year-old farmer of Kumu Village, Central Rupununi, who admitted to killing his cousin and burying his body in a shallow grave, was on Thursday sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for the offence of manslaughter.

Initially indicted for murder, Levi Stevens called ‘Chappel’ admitted before Justice Navindra Singh in the Demerara High Court that on March 16, 2017, at Tiger Plate, Central Rupununi, he killed his cousin, 24-year-old Arnold Gordon.

The State was represented by Prosecutor Sarah Martin and Teriq Mohammed while Stevens was represented by Attorney-at-law Mark Conway.

In court, Stevens explained that he was often provoked by Gordon and on the day in question he lost his temper.

According to the defence lawyer, Gordon was armed with a crossbow while his client had to defend himself with a metal rod.

Prosecutor Martin explained that Stevens buried his cousin’s body in a shallow grave.

Justice Singh, before imposing the sentence, told Stevens that he had let his temper get the best of him.

“You cannot lose your temper over something like that,” the Judge said as he ordered that Stevens undergo anger management courses while imprisoned.

Justice Singh ordered that the person authorities deduct the time Stevens spent on remand from the 12-year sentence.

Gordon was a labourer of Kumu Village, Central Rupununi; his corpse was discovered at around 16:30 hrs on March 17, 2017, at Tiger Plate, Kumu Ferry area, Central Rupununi.

Police had said that Gordon was beaten and shot with a bow and arrow under his right arm-pit. An iron rod was also found near the murder scene.