‘I will live with the consequences’ – says Soldier suspected of murdering hairdresser

Investigators from the Major Crimes Unit have made headway in the brutal murder of 29-year-old Donalesa Park, a hairdresser of No.2 Village, East Canje Berbice, who was strangled to death, stuffed inside a garbage bag and dumped opposite his (soldier’s) house along the Courtland Public Road in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The suspect has been identified as 32-year-old Collin Hazel, a Corporal of the Guyana Defence Force who was stationed at Base Camp Seweyo, Linden/Soesdyke Highway.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told the News Room that the soldier hasn’t admitted to strangling the young mother of one, however, when he is confronted with certain evidence, he adopts “a default position by saying he will live with the consequences of his action and whatever will be will be.”

The News Room understands that Park lived with the father of her five-year-old son at No. 2 Village and detectives believe that she was also in a relationship with the soldier.

The suspect’s sister was reportedly the last person who saw Park alive and she has since told the police that she saw her brother assaulting Park. Additionally, an umbrella that Park left her house with was found in the suspect’s bedroom.

Detectives are reviewing CCTV footage as they try to piece together the case.

A post-mortem examination on Friday confirmed that Park died from strangulation.

The body of the mother of one was found in the morning hours of June 30, 2022, by relatives who were searching for her.

Park, who has been a hairdresser for some 15 years, left home early on June 29 to braid a client’s hair at Islington, East Bank Berbice but when she showed up at the location, the client was not there, according to her uncle Mortimor Amsterdam.

She reportedly left and headed to the home of the soldier at Courtland Village; the suspect’s sister told relatives that her brother collected a bottle of wine and he and Park went upstairs.

Sometime around 08:00 hrs the next day, Park’s body was found sealed off inside the garbage bag on the parapet (near an empty lot) along the Courtland Public Road.

Amsterdam said that the soldier has been doing business with Park for quite some time as he would bring detergent for her from Lethem.