Security guard remanded for gruesome murder of Rose Hall mother and son 

Sep 04, 2024 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

1 year later…

Kaieteur News – More than one year after the brutal murders of 31-year-old Melissa Arokium and her 8-year-old son Anthony Arokium, a 33-year-old Security Guard of Fyrish Road, Corentyne, Berbice was charged and remanded to prison.

Remanded: Quincy Hooper

The accused, Quincy Hooper called ‘Red Man’ was charged on Tuesday, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) reported.

Hooper appeared before Magistrate Michaelle Mathias at the Albion Magistrates’ Court where the indictable charge was read to him. He was not required to enter a plea and was remanded.

Hooper is scheduled to return to court on October 4, 2024.

Melissa and her son were brutally chopped to death on August 23, 2023, at their home at Lot 189 Mangrove Street, Reef, Rose Hall Corentyne Berbice.

Hooper was arrested in October 2023 in relation to the double murder. At that time, he was found in the house with three cutlasses and a “Rambo” knife. He was identified as a close relative of Melissa Arokium.

On the day of the murders, Hooper allegedly chased Melissa’s elder brother after he questioned Hooper’s presence at the premises. According to close relatives, since the deaths, Hooper has been claiming ownership of the property.

Day of the Murders

Melissa Arokium and her son, Anthony Arokium, were discovered dead in their home On August 23, 2023. Both suffered from multiple chop wounds about their bodies. Police stated that the murders occurred between 06:30hrs and 13:30hrs. At the time Regional Commander Shivpersaud Bhaccus reported that police received a call around noon regarding an alleged wounding. Upon arrival, they found the bodies of the woman and her son in pools of blood and chop wounds. The child was found on the bed in the bedroom while the woman was found in the hallway.

Dead: Melissa and Anthony Arokium

An uncle of the deceased woman, 52-year-old Leon Moore, said that he was informed that the woman’s older brother, who lives in a house behind hers, had left for work around at the estate 04:00hrs that day. He returned home around 11:00hrs.

Moore said he had not seen the woman and her son that Wednesday morning as Melissa would usually take her son to lessons.

Neighbours said they did not see nor hear anything strange that would have indicated that the duo were in danger.

Arrests and Investigations

On the day of the murders, four individuals were questioned after preliminary investigations revealed traces of blood in the backland area, which was located not far from the crime scene.

Those questioned were: Cerrano Arokium, age 33, a Cane Harvester; Shailendra Umrao, age 37, of Belvedere (Melissa’s boyfriend); Deo Naris, known as ‘DJ’, (Melissa’s neighbour) ; and a cousin of the deceased.  Melissa’s brother, Nicholas Arokium, was initially detained but was later released after providing a statement, as he was the one who discovered his sister and nephew dead.

Of those arrested, the woman’s neighbour and her boyfriend were taken to the city for questioning at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters. Naris and Umrao were released on $50,000 bail while Melissa’s elder brother, Cerrano Arokium was released on $200,000 bail.

On October 1, 2023 police arrested Hooper, who was found in the house where the murder occurred and he had in his possession three cutlasses and a “Rambo” knife.

The ex-soldier, who is said to be mentally unstable, had chased after Arokium’s elder brother, after he questioned the man’s presence at the premises. Close relatives had indicated that since the death of the woman and her son, the ex-soldier has been laying claim to the property.

 Post-Mortem Results

According to police, Melissa’s body sustained multiple chop wounds to the back of her neck, left side waist and upper left hand while Anthony was chopped several times to his right side, head and face. Police said that a post-mortem examination with dissection was performed on the bodies of Melissa and Anthony. The post-mortem examination conducted on Melissa revealed that she died from shock and haemorrhage compounded with incised wounds to the neck.

Anthony Arokium’s cause of death was similar, with multiple incised wounds contributing to shock and haemorrhage. The bodies were released to the family for burial following the examination.

• Anthony Arokium, court, Dead, Melissa Arokium, Quincy Hooper, Remand