Life sentences for men who killed farmer

Anthony Breedy, a farmer from Hill Foot, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, was unlawfully killed on March 14, 2016, and his battered body was discovered in his home.

Two men were each handed life sentences for this crime on Thursday. 

After hours of deliberation earlier this month, a jury unanimously found 27-year-old Donell Trapp and 35-year-old Paul Goriah guilty of the lesser crime of manslaughter.

They were initially indicted for the capital offence of murder. 

DEAD: Anthony Breedy

But when she summarised the case for the mixed 12-member jury, Judge Simone Morris-Ramlall of the High Court in Demerara did suggest that they consider the lesser count of manslaughter.

Trapp was represented by defence attorneys Dexter Todd and Jevon Cox, while Goriah was represented by attorneys Nigel Hughes, Edrianna Stephen, and Narissa Leander.

Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Tiffini Lyken, State Counsel Simran Gajraj, and State Counsel Praneta Seeraj prosecuted the case.

Goriah must spend 25 years before he is eligible for parole. 

When Trapp has served 21 years in prison, he will be eligible for parole. The Prison Service was directed to credit the convicted killers for their remand time against their parole qualifying period.

Trapp had been tried once before for Breedy’s killing. After a jury failed to reach a verdict on the murder indictment against him, a retrial was ordered for him in May 2022.

Breedy was found dead at around 11:00 hours on March 14, 2016, at the bottom flat of his home at Lot 67 Hill Foot, Soesdyke-Linden Highway house.

He was last seen alive two days prior.

His hands and feet were bound, and his head was bashed in. Also, a piece of wood suspected to be the murder weapon was found next to him.

An autopsy performed on his remains revealed that he died as a result of asphyxia due to manual strangulation compounded by multiple blunt trauma to the head.

Meanwhile, 27-year-old Keino Corbin, also known as “Trini”, was sentenced to life in prison in June 2022 after entering a guilty plea to a murder charge related to Breedy’s passing.

Before he is eligible for parole, he must serve for 11 years, nine months and 20 days.

In July 2017, Goriah escaped from the Lusignan Prison while he was awaiting trial for Breedy’s murder.  

He was detained in Suriname on June 12, 2020, on suspicion of participating in an attempted robbery with a group of three men.

In December 2022, he was handed over to the Guyana Police Force.