Petit Valley student strangled and buried

A longstanding feud over a girl is believed to be the motive for the brutal murder of St James Secondary School student Stellon Davis. An autospy done at the Forensic Science Centre yesterday revealed that 16-year-old Davis, who was first believed kidnapped, died from ligature strangulation and smothering. Three suspects, a 19-year-old man of Covigne Road in Diego Martin, and two 16-year-old students of the St James Secondary School, are now assisting police in their investigations. Yesterday, the three suspects were taken to the Homicide Bureau where they were interrogated about the kidnapping/murder by a high profile team of officers led by Snr Supt Hiyadath “Dyo” Mohammed and ASP Nadir Khan.

Police learnt that the suspect was lured out of his Palm Avenue, Petit Valley home by two teens on the pretext that they were taking him to play a football game. Investigators said Davis was then taken to bushes at Upper Covigne Road where he was tied up, smothered and then strangled by the three suspects. Police investigators were able to solve Davis’ murder on Wednesday afternoon, following a confession from one of the three suspects. The suspect led police officers to a shallow grave in a bamboo patch in a track at Upper Covigne Road, Diego Martin. Around 5.40 pm, officers of the West End Police Station, accompanied by Homicide officers, went to Upper Covigne Road, where they found the body in a shallow grave covered with a galvanize sheet.

The body was found bound and gagged and bore a wound accross the face. The body was viewed by District Medical Officer Dr Clarke, who ordered it taken to the Forensic Science Centre. Police investigators were told that Davis may have been killed shortly after he was lured out of his Petit Valley home by two teenagers on Monday afternoon. Around 3 pm on Monday, Davis, a Form Five student told a relative that he was going to the Petit Valley Roman Catholic school to play football. He was seen getting into a car with two boys. When he failed to return home, his father Stephen became worried and frantic calls were made to the homes of friends, but to no avail. Around 8 pm on Monday, a $700,000 ransom was demanded for the release of Stellon. Police officers then treated the matter as a kidnapping, but after the detention of two students, investigators are now treating it as a murder.

Yesterday, Stellons father Stephen Davis, owner of Firefighters Protection and Equipment Services at Thomas Drive Petit Valley, made a plea to the young people of the country to desist from murderous thoughts. The grieving man told Newsday that Stellon was a member of the St Vincent De Paul Society, attended church regularly and was kind, obedient and loving with a bright future. He said that his son was killed because of petty jealousy. Davis said Stellon never confided in him that he was being threatened by anyone. He said he never thought that his son would be killed. He felt all along that Stellon would be reunited with his family. The distressed businessman said that Christmas would be sad for him since Stellon was the light in his house and would be sadly missed by his other two siblings.