Jacqueline George murdered before house set on fire

Sophia woman was murdered before house set on fire
March 16, 2010 - post mortem unearths chop to neck
Police have intensified the hunt for the reputed husband of Jacqueline George, an ‘E’ Field, Sophia woman, whose remains were pulled from the debris of her burnt house early Sunday morning.The hunt for the man, Godfrey Stewart, was stepped up after a post mortem examination confirmed that the police were dealing with a murder.According to a police press release, the post mortem examination was performed on the body of Jacqueline George by Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh, who gave the cause of her death as an incised wound to the neck.Investigators are now convinced that George was murdered and her house set alight with the hope of concealing the crime.George’s reputed husband who was reportedly seen entering the house shortly before the blaze has since disappeared.Yesterday, police said that they received word that he was seen in the cane fields aback of Sophia.However, a search of the area came up blank. A friend of Stewart dismissed the notion that he would be hiding out in the cane fields.“He’s not a man like that. He don’t like he skin get mosquito bite,” the friend said. He said that Stewart hails from West Demerara and has a property at Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke/Linden highway.According to the friend, two years back, he saw Stewart in the Sophia area and inquired from him what he was doing there.Stewart, he said, told him about the woman he was seeing.“I tell he he can’t handle the woman. I used to hustle she but he still go and live with she. It wasn’t no courting; was just live home. Whap!” the friend told Kaieteur News.He said that from time to time Stewart would come to his house which is also located in Sophia and relate that he and George were having problems.The friend said that on many occasions Stewart had revealed plans to kill George but he would calm him down and Stewart would return to the woman’s house in a more sober mood.This newspaper was told that Stewart had recently sold a piece of land at Yarrowkabra and had done some extensions to the woman’s Sophia house. He had also presented her with some gold jewellery.The friend believes that the woman’s disposition angered Stewart especially since he had invested a significant amount of money on her and her property.There are reports that George had on several occasions tried to end the relationship but Stewart would convince her to remain as his reputed wife.According to the friend, a few months ago he and Stewart had an altercation after he accused Stewart of removing an important document from his home.Since then Stewart stopped visiting him.“He ain’t had nobody to console he no more. So when I hear the thing me mind immediately flash to he,” the friend stated.This newspaper understands that Stewart was implicated in another murder several years ago and according to the friend, he is no stranger to jail.Neighbours who spoke with this newspaper said that the last time they saw Stewart was around 01:00 hours on Sunday.“Like he went out and we just see he come in but we ain’t know if he went back out and we ain’t hear no quarrelling or nothing, but he was home just before the fire start and now he disappear,” one neighbour related. Another neighbour said that the couple had a very stormy relationship which would lead to George asking her reputed husband to leave the home but he would always refuse.The woman’s son, Kenneth George, did admit that the couple had problems. He said that whenever there was a problem his mother would call him over to sort out whatever issue there was.Police believe that it will only be a matter of time before Stewart is captured.
http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2010/03/16/sophia-woman-was-murdered-before-house-set-on-fire/

57-yr-old Sophia woman perishes in fire
Written by Vanessa Narine
Monday, 15 March 2010 02:40
- body found among debris of gutted home, foul play suspected
THE body of 57-year-old Jacqueline George was discovered among the debris of her ‘E’ Field, Sophia home which was gutted by a fire that started around 02:50 hrs yesterday morning.
According to a Police report, the fire which is of “so far undetermined origin”, completely destroyed the wooden home of George, “who also perished in the fire”.
The Police said initial investigations revealed that neighbours saw the building ablaze and raised an alarm which led to units from the Guyana Fire Service responding and extinguishing the fire.
“The body of Jacqueline George was subsequently found among the debris,” the Police stated, noting that investigations are in progress.
When this newspaper visited the scene yesterday morning, there were unconfirmed reports circulating that the dead woman’s common-law partner, Mr. Godfrey Stewart, who has since gone missing, might have been responsible for both the fire and her death.
The two were said to have shared a violent relationship and, in speaking with neighbours, they said George and Stewart could be heard arguing on several occasions.
The Chronicle was told that Stewart was seen entering the couple’s home and leaving minutes before flames engulfed the premises at approximately 2:50 hrs, completely destroying the wooden structure.
George was a vendor at the Stabroek Market and, according to her daughter, Ms. Michelle Wiltshire, her mother and Stewart shared a common law relationship ‘MOURNING’: George’s daughters, from left, Michelle Wiltshire and Sharon George
for close to four years.
“I was out and got in around two o’clock. After that, I get a call from my sister and she say the house on fire. I call my brother and he went. I call my mother’s phone but there was no answer,” she said.
‘DEAD’: 57-year-old Jacqueline George in her younger days
The distraught woman explained that even though they knew there was a body among the charred remains of the house, she did not believe it was her mother’s.
“I thought it was my stepfather and we went searching for her. Nobody hear she scream…She liked to take a little drink so we didn’t think she was home,” Wiltshire said.
Close to tears, the young woman said it was not until officials from Lyken’s Funeral Parlour were removing the charred body that she realised it was that of her mother.
“I couldn’t bear to look. My sister saw and she said my mother’s hands were tied together and her feet were tied up too,” Wiltshire lamented.
George’s daughter recalled that Stewart had been violent with her on previous occasions.
“Just before Christmas, he chop she in she head…They were always arguing,” she said.
Another one of George’s children, Ms. Sharon George said her mother was a simple woman who sold newspapers, confectionery and jewelry to earn a living.
“I live right next to her and when I hear they say her house on fire, I couldn’t believe she in there…She told me she was going out but when I go to where she does normally be, she friend said she went home early,” Sharon said.
George leaves behind three children and 13 grandchildren, along with many other friends and relatives.
Last Updated ( Monday, 15 March 2010 03:27 )

Woman found in fire ruins had throat slit

Posted By Stabroek staff On March 16, 2010 @ 5:33 am In Local News | 6 Comments

Murdered newspaper vendor, Jacqueline George’s throat was slit, an autopsy confirmed yesterday. Her reputed husband, the main suspect, remains on the run.

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Jacqueline George

Police said in a statement that a PME done yesterday by Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh, established that the cause of George’s death as “an incised wound to the neck”. George’s body was found among the debris of her ‘E’ Field, Sophia home, which was destroyed by fire on Sunday.

While police continue their investigations, Sharon George, the daughter of the murdered woman, said the lawmen have not apprehended her mother’s reputed husband as yet. She said he was from Timehri and they had received information that he was there yesterday and alerted the police.

The bound body of George, 57, was pulled from the charred ruins of her Sophia home early Sunday morning. Her reputed husband was reportedly seen leaving the home just before the blaze. Several times before, he had threatened to kill George, relatives had told this newspaper.

Police had said that around 2:50 am on Sunday, a fire of undetermined origin destroyed George’s wooden home. Neighbours saw the building ablaze and raised an alarm which led to units from the Guyana Fire Service responding and extinguishing the fire. George’s body was subsequently found among the debris. Relatives believe that that after tying her hands behind her back and slitting her throat, George’s reputed husband set the house afire and fled.

George and the man lived together for over three years and fought at times, relatives said. On one occasion, George was cut and required stitches but she asked that the matter be dropped. Relatives believe she was killed because she wanted to take the man’s name off the lot’s transport and wanted to sell her stall at Stabroek Market, where she sold newspapers for over 30 years.
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2010/stories/03/16/woman-found-in-fire-ruins-had-throat-slit/