Body of missing Guyanese accountant found in Trinidad grave

-Foreign Affairs Ministry, Guyana consulate still to be notified  

By Michael Jordan

The body of Guyanese accountant Reagan Reece, who vanished in Trinidad on June 6, 2023 is believed to have been found in a grave in Windy Hill, Arouca.

According to Trinidad media reports, the body was found and exhumed on Sunday, July 23, after police received a tip.

The Daily Express said that “at 2.45 p.m., homicide officers went to Palm Drive. About 100 feet off the road was an abandoned shack. Near the shack was a freshly dug mound, covered by a circularly wooden board. A cadaver dog and undertakers were brought.”

“Six feet down, they found the body, wrapped in cloth and plastic. There was a tattoo on the chest.”

Possible cause of death was not stated.

But up to 5.00 p.m. today, neither the Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the Guyana Consulate in Trinidad had been notified.

“I was informed that neither the Ministry nor the consulate has received any official word on the discovery or the identity of the body,” a senior Ministry official told Big Smith News Watch.

The 45-year-old Reece had lived at Nautilus Circular, Bon Air West, Arouca. Big Smith News Watch understands that Reece may have done private accounting work.

According to reports out of Trinidad, he was last seen at 2.00 p.m. on June 6, 2023, at Lopinot Junction, Arouca, driving his Hyundai Tucson. The vehicle had also vanished.

He was wearing black three-quarter pants, black tee shirt and black sneakers.

Trinidad police were told that Reece’s vehicle was spotted several times, and there was an attempt to sell it.

GUYANA CONSULATE WAS IN TOUCH WITH FAMILY

On July 6, an official from the Guyana Consulate in Trinidad had told Big Smith News Watch that she was meeting Reece’s wife. A relative of Reece’s had also said that Reece’s wife was scheduled to meet with Consulate officials.

The relative insisted that Reagan Reece would not have disappeared on his own free will without contacting his family.

“We have no plausible explanation of what could have happened to Reagan.

“I assume that the authorities suspect a kidnapping due to the apparent unexplained nature of his disappearance.

“I’m terribly afraid that Reagan is no longer with us, and Trinidad seems to be overwhelmed with these cases of disappearances,” the close relative had said.

“My desire is for Reagan’s case to be handled diligently and aggressively by the appropriate authorities in Trinidad.”

Aside from information in the Trinidad media, including that the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and the Hunters Search and Rescue team were investigating the case, the relative had said family members had no information about what could have happened to Mr. Reece.

MURDERS, KIDNAPPINGS AND DISAPPEARANCES

Trinidad has been plagued with an escalating number of brutal murders and kidnappings in recent years.

Many of the victims have not been located.

A source in Trinidad had surmised that the fact that Reece’s car was spotted following his disappearance indicated that he had been ‘taken.’

“And since no ransom was asked for , that seems to suggest that he was most likely killed and dumped somewhere.”

However the source stated that car thieves often left owners unharmed.

“Car theft is very rampant here, and his being taken too seems a bit off.

“They scout the malls and take what vehicle they want.”

An area known as The Bamboo’ is where “you get parts for any vehicle.’

“So car thieves go there to scrap vehicles and sell the parts. You hardly hear of them taking the driver too.”