Cops solve murder of 68-year-old…Drug addict cuts out old woman’s tongue after raping her on roadway

When the drug addict saw 68-year-old Megan Jones wandering alone on a West Coast Demerara roadway, last July, he beat her unconscious, raped her, then cut out the old woman’s tongue. That’s the shocking confession that 40-year-old Stanley Barrow, called ‘Cuffy,’ gave police last Friday. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said that detectives are now questioning Barrow in relation to other incidents of rape, which occurred in nearby communities. He is likely to appear in court by Monday. Another man who was arrested with the suspect was released after the alleged killer said that he acted alone. Mrs. Jones, who resided at Stanleytown, West Bank Demerara, was mentally unsound, and residents had reportedly grown used to seeing her wandering in the streets at all hours of the day and night. But on July 22, last, they found her lying, badly battered and barely alive, on the access road to the Vreed-en-Hoop jetty area. Mrs. Jones’ attacker had also sliced off her tongue. She died the following day at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. But police did not identify her until a few days ago. On Friday, a post mortem examination performed by Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh revealed that Mrs. Jones had sustained multiple injuries, including blunt trauma to the head. She had also suffered a broken jaw. And although the killer had silenced old Mrs. Jones, residents who had seen the gruesome attack spoke up for her. “After the incident, people started calling in and saying that we should hold him (Barrow) and another suspect,” Blanhum said. “Both men were picked up and he (Barrow) confessed. He said that he acted alone and we released the other man.” “He (Barrow) said that he saw her wandering and had sex with her, and during intercourse, she started complaining that she was in pain, and he became annoyed and dealt her several blows. He also had a knife and he cut off her tongue,” the Crime Chief said, adding that Barrow then left the area. Police have been lauded for solving several ‘cold’ cases in recent months. Among them was the shocking killing of 77-year-old Carmen Ganesh, who was battered to death in her Montrose, East Coast Demerara home. A surveillance camera recorded the killing, and a suspect, Colin Alleyne, has been charged. But the murders of several other elderly women over the years have gone unsolved. Among them is the August 28, 2009 slaying of 80-year-old Bhemwattie Ram, who was bound, gagged and sexually assaulted in her La Grange, West Bank Demerara home. Her gold earrings, gold ring and gold bands were missing.