Days after denying killing the mother of his child, Clevaughn Hamilton called “Quarters” on Monday opted to change his plea and confessed to the gruesome crime.
Last Thursday, Hamilton appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court and pleaded not guilty to the capital offence of murder.
During that hearing his co-accused, taxi driver Ranachal Singh called “Andy” confessed to the gruesome crime. He pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter
A 12-member jury was empanelled to preside over Hamilton’s trial, which was expected to commence on Monday.
However, on Monday, Hamilton opted to change his plea and admitted that between April 16 and 19, 2016 at Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara, he murdered Simone Hackett of ‘C’ Field Sophia.
He will be sentenced on September 26.
Hamilton is represented by attorney Alaira Murphy-Goodman while the state is represented by prosecutor Muntaz Ali.
The mother of one was reported missing by relatives on April 17, 2016, after she had not returned the previous night from going to collect a package allegedly sent from Mahdia by Hamilton.
According to a post-mortem report, Hackett died from an incised wound to her neck and there were 11 other incised wounds to her body.
Her body was discovered by two schoolboys on their way to school and was positively identified by relatives
Hamilton, in his agreed statement of facts, admitted to luring Hackett into Singh’s vehicle and stabbing the woman several times before dumping her in a nearby trench, where he also disposed of the murder weapon.
He then made good of his escape by driving to Mahdia with Singh. However, along the journey, the men stopped and cleaned the bloodstained car.
On April 20, 2016, Hamilton was arrested by police and admitted to killing the woman.
