Miner, 25, accused of gunning down contractor, stealing bike, remanded to prison

A 25-year-old gold miner was on Monday remanded to prison for the murder of 60-year-old Peter Gonsalves, a building contractor, who was gunned down during a robbery last December.

Daniel Parris of ‘D’ Field Sophia, Turkeyen appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and was not required to plea to the charge which alleged that on December 7, 2020 at Garnett Street, Kitty, Georgetown while being in the company of another person, murdered Gonsalves.

Gonsalves of Pere Street, Kitty was gunned down in front of the Red Bar on Garnett Street. The incident occurred at about 21:45h.

Gonsalves, who was on his black and white Honda XR motorcycle, was reportedly being trailed by Parris and another man, on motorcycle. He was shot multiple times after he tried fighting off the two men, who eventually escaped with his motorcycle.

One of Gonsalves’ employee, who was also on the motorcycle with him at the time of the incident, escaped unharmed.

Parris was later arrested by ranks from Police Major Crime on February 4. He reportedly confessed to shooting Gonsalves and took police to find the stolen motorcycle.

Parris, who is the second suspect to be charged for Gonsalves’ murder, was remanded to prison until March 1.  He is expected to be jointly charged with his co-accused 28-year-old Kacey Heyliger of Shell Road, Kitty, Georgetown for the indictment.

On December 12, Heyliger was arraigned in court for the crime and was remanded to prison.

Parris, who is also no stranger to the court, had recently served 18 months imprisonment for armed robbery.

In August 2019, he was freed of the murder of money changer, Shawn ‘Fabulous’ Nurse after a Preliminary Inquiry found insufficient evidence against him.

He was previously charged for Nurse’s murder along with Kerwin DaSantos and George Hope of Freeman Street, La Penitence.

Nurse was also gunned down during a robbery on America Street, Georgetown on February 4, 2018.