Janice Paul in happier times (source: kaieteurnewsonline)
Residents of ‘D’ Field, Turkeyen were plunged into grief last evening as they learnt that a 40-year-old shopkeeper was hacked to death and her husband badly wounded by a neighbour who pounced on them as they were making their way home.
As the rain poured heavily last evening, the now dead woman, Janice Paul, 40, and her husband, Eusi Paul, 39, were making their way to their Lot 34 Turkeyen/Sophia, Greater Georgetown home around 20:05 hours when their unsuspected attacker, identified as Jerry Dalrymple, reportedly brandished a cutlass and attacked them.
Residents, who rushed to the scene in their numbers, were perplexed as to what could have prompted the vicious attack. Most of them said that the rain was pouring so heavily, that they were initially unaware of what transpired in the otherwise quiet area.
Reports are that Dalrymple, a male vendor who once lived next door to the couple, cornered them as they were about to enter their yard. While he managed to kill the woman, the man was badly injured and was later rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he is receiving treatment.
The woman was found lying dead on the ground flooded by rain waters while her bleeding husband ran frantically to alert lawmen at the Turkeyen Police Station. The police have since launched a manhunt for the couple’s assailant.
Kaieteur News understands that the couple’s young son reportedly witnessed the latter part of the incident.
He was watching television when he was disturbed by screams in the passageway.
The distraught youth was reportedly in the house watching television when his father came in for an umbrella claiming that he was heading back to escort his mother in. She was at the time waiting in a car.
It is said that upon the couple’s return the man pounced, dealing blows primarily on the 40-year-old shopkeeper. Eusi Paul was chopped on his hand and face.
At the scene, relatives and neighbours who gathered were at a loss at what could have prompted such an attack.
The woman was described as easy-going and friendly. Investigators, too, were heard pondering whether it could have been a problem between the two men that led to the fatal attack.