Alvin Reid called “Satan” was on Tuesday freed of the brutal murder of 14-year-old Malika Hamilton, whose lifeless body was fished out from the Hope Canal, East Coast Demerara in 2016.
Reid, 37, formerly of Nimrod Street, Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara, was on trial before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Demerara High Court for the capital offence of murder.
He had denied murdering Hamilton between August 8-9,2016.
He was represented by attorneys-at-law Konyo Sandiford and Iyanna Butts. The State was represented by prosecutors Simran Gajraj, Muntaz Ali and Taneisha Saygon.
According to reports, the Ann’s Grove teen left her home to go swimming with the accused and a young boy; it was reported she drowned.
A Post Mortem Examination (PME) revealed she died of asphyxiation due to drowning; the PME also found injuries to her throat, indicating that someone had choked her.
When news of the teen’s death broke, Reid had reportedly disappeared from the village, raising suspicions of his involvement. He was charged and remanded on August 23, 2016, after he was found by police hiding in a barrel at a relative’s house near the cemetery at Ann’s Grove.
In 2018, the murder charge against Reid was discharged by Magistrate Peter Hugh due to insufficient evidence.
However, Reid was rearrested and charged after additional evidence was found.
He was later committed to stand trial for the capital offence.
However, while on remand for the murder charge, Reid was “accidentally released” and was wanted for discharging a loaded firearm, larceny of cattle and other offenses.
On September 5, after three years on the run, Reid was arrested in the Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara area by ranks from the Guyana Police Force following information received.
It was reported that ranks from the Clonbrook Police Outpost accompanied by members of the Community Policing Group went to an area in Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara where Reid was arrested.
During the arrest, the police observed that Reid had wounds on his left side abdomen, and a suspected gunshot wound on his back.
Mr. Reid’s conscience be his guide.