Prime suspect in “Sir Mars” murder remanded to prison.

Brian Richards, the prime suspect in the murder of beloved educator and actor Kirwyn Mars has been charged and remanded to prison for the capital offence of murder.

The accused, 24, a labourer of John Fernandes Squatting Area, Georgetown was arraigned before Magistrate Sunil Scarce on Thursday at the Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrates’ Courts.

The indictable charge to which he was not required to enter a plea stated that he murdered 51-year-old Mars on Sunday, May 7 at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Richards was remanded to prison until June 23 and the preliminary inquiry into the matter will commence on August 7.

Dead: Kirwyn Mars

Police Headquarters, in a statement, said that Mars of Lot 211 New Settlers Street, Mocha, EBD was killed at around 22:30h on Sunday at Providence, EBD.

Police said that Mars’ killer was armed with a knife. Investigations revealed that Mars and the accused were in his, Mars’ vehicle, a grey Mitsubishi RVR, when they proceeded to a street located at Plantation Providence, EBD.

This was after they had reportedly imbibed at a city bar. Further investigations revealed that Mars and the accused had a misunderstanding that escalated inside the vehicle. 

As a result, both parties armed themselves with knives and dealt each other wounds. Mars then exited the vehicle and attempted to escape in an eastern direction but the accused reversed the vehicle hitting Mars and pinning him to the fence of a house.

The accused then exited the vehicle and escaped in a southern direction on foot. The vehicle was later removed with the assistance of the fire service, and the lifeless body of Mars was discovered with his face braced against the fence.

According to the Police, the now dead man sustained lacerations to his face, head, hand, shoulder, forehead, above the left eye, right side chest, and back. Two knives were recovered from the scene.

Meanwhile, Richards was arrested by the Police on Tuesday at his place of work. He has reportedly confessed the gruesome murder, claiming that he acted in self defence.

Mars’ cause of death has been given as crush injuries to chest compounded by multiple cutaneous wounds.

Government pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh in his findings stated: “Evidence of both sharp and blunt force injuries with crush injuries to the chest. Eight stab wounds about the body — upper left chest, right shoulder, upper left collarbone, left hand, right elbow, and left upper chest.”

Mars joined the teaching profession in 1992. At the time of his death he was the deputy principal at the New Central High School.