The homicide count in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for this year moved to three on Friday with a stabbing death in Petit Bordel, the second such killing in as many weekends in St. Vincent.
Villagers and law enforcement sources have identified the victim as Edward Lavia, 39, a resident of the North Leeward village.
Lavia is said to have been pronounced dead on arrival at the Chateaubelair Hospital where he was taken after he was stabbed, reportedly in the neck, sometime before 6 p.m.
The man is said to have been stabbed during an altercation involving another villager.
The alleged assailant is said to have served prison time before for a similar killing some years ago.
Villagers tell iWitness News that Lavia was stabbed as he attempted to escape his attacker by running into the home of a villager.
A resident of the home where the stabbing took place was taken to hospital, her heath having been affected by what she witnessed, sources say.
A video circulating on social media shows the mortally wounded Lavia sitting in the patio of a house with blood flowing down the steps and into the yard.
Lavia made iWitness News headlines in August 2019 when police charged him in connection with damage to a house and vehicle belonging to Member of Parliament for North Leeward, Roland “Patel” Matthews, who was overseas at the time.
Police are alleging that on Aug. 3, 2019, Lavia damaged the windshield of motor vehicle P2793, value EC$1,500 and was reckless as to whether such damage would occur.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge as well as to a charge that on the same date, also in Petit Bordel, he damaged an EC$350 glass window at Matthews’ home.
He was granted bail in the sum of EC$2,000 and the matter was transferred to the Chateaubelair Magistrate’s Court.
A hearing in that matter was scheduled for next month.
The video of the aftermath of the stabbing that was circulated on Friday calls up memories of the chopping death in Long Piece, Lowmans Windward one week earlier, which left villager Henry Parsons, a 54-year-old labourer dead.
Police have charged Frankie Joseph, a 32-year-old mason, of the same address, with murder in connection with that killing.
Police say that about 11:40 p.m. last Friday, Feb. 21, they responded to a chopping incident at “Kiss Me Neck Bar” at Long Piece.
On arrival at the scene, Parsons was met unresponsive with a chop wound to the back of his right leg.
The district medical officer later pronounced him dead at the scene.
Who said hanging is not a deterrent? Is this guy was hanged he could have committed another murder
What is wrong with people in St Vincent? Killing each other over some nonsense or the other. It is just pure ignorance in a macho society, where men feel they have to prove themselves by the level of violence they are capable of.