EBD man found guilty of robbing, killing father of two

A 26-year-old man is likely to be sentenced in the new month for his role in the death of Purcell Moore, the 40-year-old overseas-based Guyanese, who was shot and killed during a robbery.

Wayne Anthony Chester called “Sharky”, of Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was convicted by a jury of the capital offence of murder after a trial which ended last Thursday before Demerara High Court Judge, Sandil Kissoon.

On December 20, 2017, he murdered Moore during the course/furtherance of a robbery which happened at Craig, EBD. Chester had initially denied the charge.

Purcell Moore

In 2021, Selwin Dawson, and Kevin Persaud, both 23, were each sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum term of 15 years for killing Moore.

“This callus crime and course of conduct displayed by the accused [Persaud and Dawson] must be addressed. Members of society ought to be free to move about …..whether in the precinct of the business community in downtown Georgetown, in their neighbourhood, or their home…” Justice Kissoon had said at Dawson’s and Persaud’s sentencing hearing.

Moore had just returned to his homeland from French Guiana to celebrate the Christmas holidays with his family when he was shot and robbed of his gold chain and other jewellery by three men. He received two gunshot wounds- one to the head and another to the chest.

The now-dead man was attacked and robbed a short distance away from his parents’ Craig, East Bank Demerara home. He was picked up by his father and rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, EBD where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

Moore was a clothes vendor.

Dawson has since appealed his sentence. Meanwhile, back in 2019, Chester was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for robbery under-arms, illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, discharging a loaded firearm with intent and damage to property.