A former police officer who later became an aviation security officer has been committed to stand trial for the murder of his girlfriend in Park Hill on March 7.
Vandyke King, 34, will face judge and jury at the High Court for the murder of fellow villager, Mickiesha Gumbs, 26, who he is alleged to have stabbed in the neck in their North Central Windward village.
Gumbs is said to have been holding their 1-year-old daughter in her arms when she received the fatal wound.
King was committed to stand trial after a paper committal at the Serious Offences Court in Kingstown on Monday, presided over by Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne.
Counsel Ronald “Ronnie” Marks represented King, while Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delplesche appeared for the Crown.
King used the court documents he had asked his lawyer to allow him to read to hide his face from media photographers as he was escorted, handcuffed and led from the court.
Reports are that King left his workplace, Argyle International Airport, on March 7, and travelled to Park Hill after receiving information that someone driving a vehicle had just brought his girlfriend home.
One of Gumbs’ sister told iWitness News that a pastor had met Gumbs, her daughter, and other relatives and had given them a ride as they were walking home.
At the end of Monday’s proceedings, Delplesche commended the investigator, Detective Constable Edmond Ollivierre, for his work on the case.
“Ollivierre seems to operate under the radar,” Delplesche said, adding that when he (Delpesche) went through the file, he could have read it without putting on his glasses and that the contents of the statements were clear.
“Nigerian, good job,” Delplesche told the investigator, referring to him by his nickname. “Man, continue so,” the former detective inspector added.