Detectives last night appeared to be a step closer to cracking the execution-style murder of self-confessed informant George Bacchus.
Yesterday, the investigating team dug up the yard at the Princes Street property where Bacchus was slain, in an effort to find the murder weapon after receiving information that it was buried there.
Kaieteur News has learnt that a youth, who was at the Princes Street, Lodge home when Bacchus was killed, has told investigators that he found a firearm at the head of Bacchus’s bed when he went to check in Bacchus’s room after he heard the gunshots.
Sources say that the youth alleged that he found Bacchus dead, and that he found a firearm at the head of the slain man’s bed.
He reportedly told police that he removed the weapon and buried it in the yard. An occupant of the home confirmed yesterday that police searched the premises for a firearm.
However, after digging up sections of the premises, no trace of the gun was found.
There are reports that the firearm was removed by a Princes Street resident, who has since disappeared.
Police said that a bullet that was extracted from Bacchus’s skull during Friday’s autopsy, as well as a similar bullet that was found in his room confirmed that a .38 firearm was the weapon used in the execution.
And in a new twist in the investigation, police yesterday detained George Bacchus’s sister-in-law, whose husband, Shafeek Bacchus, was gunned down at the same property in January.
Investigators declined to give details for the woman being placed in custody, but said that she was detained “as a result of further developments in the case.”
On Friday, detectives grilled the sister-in-law about her whereabouts on the night that Bacchus was slain. This newspaper was told that the sister-in-law was able to provide police with an alibi.
Kaieteur News understands that evidence is emerging that Bacchus was recently involved in several disputes with occupants of the Princes Street property.
A source close to the family stated that Bacchus had informed the U.S Embassy that the property was his. According to the source, the Embassy then contacted a relative to confirm this.
The relative reportedly denied that the property belonged to Bacchus.
According to the source, the relative even produced documents to show that the property did not belong to George Bacchus.
Another report is that Bacchus and a male occupant of the house were involved in a heated argument a few days before he was killed.
Kaieteur News understands that during the argument, Bacchus had ordered the occupant out of the house within three days.
The man refused to leave, and in turn, gave Bacchus one day to leave the house.
Bacchus’s nephew was detained on Friday shortly after he was killed and was still in custody yesterday.
In other developments yesterday, a fifth police rank, whom Bacchus had repeatedly named as one of the members of the alleged ‘killing squad’, was taken into custody. He was reportedly detained after being ordered to report at Eve Leary.
The son of Member of Parliament Shirley Edwards was also detained yesterday afternoon.
Investigators said that he was being questioned about a recorded statement that Bacchus allegedly made at Ms. Edwards’s Princes Street home.
Police said that Ms. Edwards was also questioned and has since given police a statement. This newspaper has also received reports that detectives questioned some GINA employees.
One of them, Michael Gordon, gave them a statement.
A Hill Street, Lodge businessman who was detained on Thursday, was still in custody yesterday, but there were indications last night that he would be released. Bacchus, 50, called ‘Bombalay’, was executed while sleeping in a bedroom in the second flat of the Lot 76 Princes Street, Lodge property.
George Bacchus was shot under the left eye, under the right armpit, in the right shoulder and right leg.
An autopsy, which was performed yesterday, revealed that Bacchus died from a gunshot to the head.
A bullet was extracted from Bacchus’s skull during the autopsy, while another was retrieved from his room on Thursday.