| – was to have been best man at brother’s wedding Sheriff Taxi Service driver, Keith Bowen, was to have been the best man at his brother’s wedding today.Keith BowenBowen, also known as ‘Keitho’ of First Street, Vigilance, East Coast Demerara, had already bought his suit, and his mother had expected him to arrive at her home with pastry ingredients for the reception.Instead, killers put a brutal end to the 30-year-old man’s wedding plans on Thursday night, shooting him dead and callously dumping his body from his car in Sussex Street in the vicinity of Cemetery Road, near the Island Bridge.Tearful relatives positively identified his body at the Georgetown Hospital Mortuary, yesterday, after the victim’s bloodstained motorcar HB 254 was found in Princes Street, between High and Lombard Streets.Relatives said that Bowen’s gold band, gold chain, and gold ring, as well as cash, were missing from the man’s possession.There was blood in the driver’s seat and on one of the rear windows; one of the victim’s slippers was found in the vehicle. The key was still in the ignition.However, it is unclear whether anything was stolen from the car.Bowen was shot behind the right ear,China Jerseys, and this had led to initial speculation that Bowen, who was at first unidentified, was the victim of an execution-style killing.Reports suggest that Bowen was attacked and shot in his car shortly before 20:00 hrs in Sussex Street.The attackers then dumped him out in West La Penitence in an area called Island Bridge, opposite the Le Repentir Cemetery.Some residents recalled hearing a single gunshot shortly before seeing Bowen lying on the parapet.Relatives told Kaieteur News that Bowen often took his eight-year-old son, Kevin Bowen, on rides with him before retiring home.Detectives search for clues near the carOne relative said that it is fortunate that the child was not in the vehicle at the time.According to relatives, Bowen contracted his vehicle out to the Sheriff Taxi Service a few months ago.A manager at the company said that at around 09:30 hrs on Thursday, Bowen informed dispatcher that he was heading to Prashad Nagar “on a pick up.”He said that was the last time that they heard from the taxi driver. At around 05:00 hrs, police informed a dispatcher that Bowen’s car had been found.One of the dead man’s sisters, Karen Bowen, told Kaieteur News that the family learned about the killing after a relative contacted the home by telephone.Another sister, Rehanna Hunte, recalled how her mother broke the news to the family.“Mommy call me and tell me sit down. So I ask she what happen she tell me is “Keitho”; so I ask if he get in an accident she seh no he dead, that they shoot he. I just get a light feeling afterwards”.The sister further told this newspaper that the last time she saw her brother was at a meeting that the family had in preparation for his younger brother’s wedding, which was scheduled for today.She explained that Keitho was supposed to be the best man and he had bought a special suit for the occasion.“But it looks like he gon have to wear it to go and sleep” the tearful sister said.Hunte said that this was the first time they had lost a close relative and the family was in a state of disbelief.According to the sister, Bowen had no enemies,She said that most “Keitho” would indulge himself in was with a lot of girlfriends.She estimated that her brother might have been wearing his gold jewellery when he was slain.“Well if they kill me brother for those frivolous things, God be with them,” Hunte posited.Michael Bowen, a cousin who resides at the same Vigilance residence as the slain taxi driver, said that he last saw his cousin on Wednesday morning.The cousin said that Keith would normally work through the night and would return home the following morning.Bowen leaves to mourn eight brothers and sisters and his only child, Kevin.The Sheriff Taxi Service manager said that three other drivers have been victims of carjacking within the past three weeks.Early last year, a taxi driver from the same service was shot in Latchmansingh Street, Tucville, while another was shot in ‘B’ Field, Sophia.However, about three years ago, another driver from the Sheriff Taxi Service managed to shoot a carjacker dead after the suspect and an accomplice had attacked him in South Ruimveldt. |
