Two Committed to Stand Trial for Murder of Dr. Colin Roach
October 17 2025
-Following Preliminary Inquiry Conclusion
After nearly four years of legal proceedings, 23-year-old Hilton Oliver Franklyn and 22-year-old Lenryc Byass have been committed to stand trial in the High Court for the 2021 murder of prominent physician Dr. Colin Roach.
The ruling was handed down on Friday, October 17, 2025, by Senior Magistrate Rhondell Weaver, bringing an end to the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the high-profile case that gripped the nation.
Franklyn and Byass were charged in November 2021, following the brutal killing of Dr. Roach — a case that sent shockwaves across Guyana’s medical and wider professional community.
During the inquiry, the accused were represented by Attorneys-at-Law Latchmie Rahamat and Nigel Hughes, while Sergeant Quincy Lacon prosecuted on behalf of the State. With the completion of the PI, both men will now face a judge and jury at the next sitting of the Supreme Court of Judicature.
Dr. Roach, a 49-year-old father of three, was found lying in a pool of blood inside his office at the International Medical Clinic, located in a three-storey building at Lot 111 Duke Street, Kingston. The gruesome discovery was made by one of his employees who lived in the same building.
According to police reports, the office had been closed around 15:00 hrs that day. Later that evening, around 20:00 hrs, a man was reportedly seen leaving the premises before returning several minutes later. At about 22:00 hrs, Dr. Roach’s vehicle was seen leaving the compound, though the office lights remained on — prompting concern.
When repeated calls to the doctor went unanswered, an employee used his keys to enter the building and found Dr. Roach dead. Police later confirmed that his car and two cellphones were missing from the scene.
Dr. Roach, who resided at Windsor Estates, East Bank Demerara, was widely respected for his contribution to the medical field. He was one of the first directors of the National Reference Laboratory and among the two doctors authorized to conduct medical examinations for persons applying for U.S. immigrant visas.
The case, which sparked public outrage and sorrow, now moves one step closer to trial as investigators and prosecutors seek justice for the slain physician.
