A 33-year-old Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldier is currently in custody at Camp Ayangana, Georgetown in connection with the murder of 29-year-old Donalesa Park, a hairdresser of No. 2 Village, East Canje Berbice.
The body of the mother of one was found early Thursday morning stuffed inside a garbage bag and dumped along the Courtland Public Road in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
Regional Commander Boodnarine Persaud told the News Room that it appears as if the young woman was strangled to death.
Park, who has been a hairdresser for some 15 years, left home Wednesday morning to braid a client’s hair at Islington, East Bank Berbice but when she showed up at the location, the client was not there.
And so, she left and reportedly headed to the home of the soldier at Courtland Village and was never seen or heard from since.
Sometime around 08:00 hrs Thursday, her body was found sealed off inside the garbage bag on the parapet (near an empty lot) along the Courtland Public Road by a relative who was looking for her.
At the scene, dozens of residents and relatives gathered while investigating ranks cordoned off the area.
Relatives were inconsolable after it was confirmed that Park’s body was stuffed inside the bag.
A slipper belonging to the woman was found nearby along with her bag which she left home with. The soldier, who lives opposite the crime scene, had left for work at Camp Ayangana in Georgetown early Thursday morning.
An uncle of the dead woman, Mortimer Amsterdam of Baracara Village in the upper Canje Creek, told reporters that his niece is originally from Baracara but moved to No.2 Village when she attended school in New Amsterdam.
“But based on what I understand, is that this gentleman (soldier) does bring some detergent for her from Lethem and so she apparently left to collect the detergent from the boy and when she come to collect it from he, that is what took place,” the uncle said.
Amsterdam said that the soldier has been doing business with Park for quite some time.
He said Park’s mother became worried Thursday morning when she realised her daughter did not return home.
The mother then contacted Amsterdam and other relatives and they accompanied her to the Central Police Station to file a report.
“The mother left to come up the Corentyne here where they know the boy does live and his sister told them that the boy (soldier) collected a bottle of wine and go upstairs with the girl (Park).”
The sister said the GDF rank left for work Thursday morning but she did not see Park.
Park’s mother, however, noticed a pair of her daughter’s slippers near the step of the house along with a wig that was also identified to be hers.
Amsterdam said Park’s mother began searching around the area because they suspected something was amiss and it was that search that led them to the location where the body was found.
“Opposite the house, in a bush, they see a bag and when they discover the bag, they call in the police and the police come and search and they find the bag with the girl inside,” Amsterdam said.
Park was described as a quiet person and would often smile a lot with everyone.
He was used by devils, now he will pay for it ,will spend rest of his life in jail . My sympathy to her kid and family members.may her soul rest in peach