Robbers strangle widow dead
The house in which the woman resided.
The house in which the woman resided.
A SIXTY-three-year-old widow of Grove, East Bank Demerara, was found dead in her bed early yesterday morning after two men reportedly broke into the house.

Neighbours said it appeared that Leila Avatar was strangled in her bed at Lot 200 Grove Housing Scheme.

They said her body was found lying across her bed, clad only in her underwear. Her hands and feet were bound and her mouth gagged.

Blood was also visible on her upper body.


Neighbours said they went into the house at around 06:30 hours yesterday and made the startling discovery after two children from the neighbourhood, who usually kept her company at night, raised an alarm.

Ten-year-old Reshma and her brother Latish, eight, were in the house when the men broke in.
Latish who was in the house at the time of the murder.
Latish who was in the house at the time of the murder.
 Reshma who was also in the house when the murder occurred.
Reshma who was also in the house when the murder occurred.
The reaction of relatives and neighbours as the body of the woman is placed into the hearse from the Lyken's Funeral Home.
The reaction of relatives and neighbours as the body of the woman is placed into the hearse from the Lyken's Funeral Home.
One neighbour said it looked as though they went into the house between 01:00 hours and 03:30 hours when she left for the market.

Others said they heard nothing strange in the house to suggest that something was amiss during the night.

The motive for the murder appears to be robbery since residents said that Avatar received money from a money transfer agency the previous day.

According to neighbours, the two men entered the house by prising open a window on the lower flat of the two-storeyed building.

After entering the house, the men climbed the inside stairs and went into her bedroom through the open door.

The window through which the men got into the house is the only one on the lower flat without bars.

Neighbours said the men fled through the back of the yard.

They said Avatar had been living alone since her husband passed away and she had no children.

The two children who were staying with her Monday night, were awakened when someone sprinkled water in their faces, but they were not hurt during the robbery.

Latish said the only thing he remembered was "someone screaming".

As the hearse bearing the body left the yard, family members began crying uncontrollably.

Many neighbours told this newspaper that the widow was always quiet and polite to everyone and was always in her house around 19:00 hours.

 

Wednesday, October 06, 2004