Romeo Persaud, a farmer from Hogg Island whose body was found floating in the Essequibo River on Sunday died from suffocation and blunt trauma to the head, an autopsy conducted on Monday confirmed.
A statement from Police Headquarters noted that the post mortem examination was conducted between 08:30 hrs and 09:00 hrs by Doctor Nehaul Singh at the Ezekiel Funeral Home.
“The body was identified by the deceased’s wife in the presence of the police and the cause of death was given as suffocation compounded by blunt trauma to the head,” the statement said.
The body was then handed over to the relatives for cremation at a later date.
Relatives of the deceased repeatedly told the News Room on Monday that their main focus is a united quest for justice even as they pleaded with anyone who has information concerning Persaud’s demise to come forward.
Persaud’s birthday was on Sunday but instead of celebrating with him, already distraught family members got the dreadful news that he was found dead.
His mother, Holiwattie Randolph, said when the body was discovered the man’s feet and hands were tied, his mouth was taped and a black plastic bag covered his face.
These details have left family members in disbelief.
Randolph told the News Room that she last heard from her son on Friday when left her home at Tuschen, West Coast Demerara to go to his home on Hogg Island.
She said that her son is a farmer and a speed boat operator.
The mother related that on Saturday a farmer found his boat drifting in the Essequibo River in the vicinity of Liberty Point and informed the family.
She since they were not on the Island, his neighbour collected the boat. Soon after it came to the family’s realisation that Persaud was missing since calls to his phone went unanswered.
The mother further recalled that she received a call on Sunday that his body was found and said that when she saw him, she was stunned.
“His hands tied, his feet tied, his face in a plastic bag, an engine anchor him,” Persaud’s mother said.
Randolph said that her son was very loving and did not have any enemies.
Persaud is a father of two. His body is currently at the mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.
