KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – Police here say that the licenced firearm belonging to murdered dental technician Ewart “Ells” King was found in the minivan in which escaped prisoner Godwin Moses, 27, was travelling moments before they shot and kill him Sunday.
Police, in a statement on Monday, said that acting on a tip they conducted a stop and search in Happy Hill, Central Leeward and Moses was seen in an omnibus coming from Layou.
According to the police report, Moses “approached” his waist with his hand and fled from the van into nearby bushes.
The police then discharged their firearms in his direction. They pursued him and found him in some bushes some distance away.
Moses received injuries and was taken to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by a doctor.
The diver of the van in which Moses was travelling then handed over a .38 revolver to police,” the statement said.
Police say that their database shows that the firearm did in fact belong to King, who was murdered by an intruder into his Pembroke home on Dec. 4.
A post mortem was expected to be conducted on Moses’ body yesterday.
Moses escaped from Her Majesty’s Prion in Kingstown on Nov. 21 when 37 prison wardens were on duty and Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has ordered an investigation into his escape.
Moses and Tameka Sutherland, 19, were jointly charged with the Dec. 9, 2010 murder of Steveon Springer of Layou in Kingstown.
Police say they have not recovered the firearm used to commit that offence.
The police statement issued yesterday noted that Moses, had seven convictions for burglary, one for aggravated burglary, two for theft, one for criminal trespass, two for possession of control drugs, one for unlawful possession of a cellular phone, and one for escaping unlawful custody.
While many citizens say that they are relieved that accused murderer is no longer on the run, some questioned the seeming haste to link him to the King’s death.
Other commentators have even suggested that the death of the prisoner amounts to an extrajudicial killing, even as they question his escape from prison.
Sources tell I-Witness News that police had arrested a person in connection to King’s death after the person sought medical attention at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.
According to sources, King might have injured his killer. His neighbours are said to have told police that they heard four gunshots near the house of the dental technician, who was stabbed to death.