DPP: Accused Paraquita Bay killers seen on camera with gun and cash
The two men accused of committing robbery and murder in Paraquaita Bay this month were allegedly captured on cameras inside their home brandishing an AK47 rifle similar to the weapon used to shoot and kill their alleged victim, Catherine Pickering.
Director of Public Prosecution (DDP) Tiffany Scatliffe-Esprit levelled those allegations when the accused men — 22-year-old Akeem Hopkinson and 28-year-old Shameek Grant — appeared before the Magistrate’s Court Thursday afternoon.
The Zion Hill residents stand charged for robbery, murder, and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
They were not made to answer to charges in today’s court appearance as their matter is indictable (meaning triable before a judge and jury in the High Court).
The in-home camera
According to the DDP’s allegations, police investigations led them to arrest the accused men two days after the April 18 murder while they were travelling on Zion Hill public road.
A search warrant was then executed at their Zion Hill residence where police recovered a magazine containing four live rounds of 7.62 ammunition inside Hopkinsons’ room.
As a part of the search, the police also confiscated a digital video recorder. And after gaining access to the device, they reviewed its footage which showed that things really set in motion two days before Pickering was killed.
The timeline leading up to the robbery-homicide
Upon reviewing the footage, police saw Hopkinson entering his residence on April 16 with three other men including his co-accused, Grant. Hopkinson was reportedly carrying a bag from which he removed an AK47 assault rifle. He was then seen showing off the weapon to the men.
It is alleged that on the following day, Hopkinson was seen taking the gun to his bedroom in the presence of Grant and his girlfriend Teffiny Smith.
Further viewing of the footage shows Hopkins leaving his apartment on April 18 (the day of the crime). He was reportedly carrying the bag with the gun, which he placed in the storage area of the scooter before riding off.
The court heard that grant remained at the apartment and was seen on his phone on multiple occasions between 6:13 pm and 6:52 pm. Around 6:51 pm, Grant reportedly made a phone call to Hopkinson and cell site analysis placed Hopkinson in the area of Paraquita Bay at that time.
The shooting— Multiple spent shells
The DDP alleges that about 7 pm on the same day, Maricel Pickering (daughter to the deceased victim) closed her business — Big Brothers Gas Station — to head home. She had in her possession a plastic bag containing $3,100 which is said to be her day’s earnings.
She gave a ride to her employee, Shemar Richardson who is accused of feeding inside information to the perpetrators who executed the crime.
After dropping off Richardson in Gene Hill, she stopped to visit her brother whom she gave $150 from the aforementioned sum, the court heard.
When she eventually arrived at her Pariquita Bay residence which she shares with her mother, Catherine, she exited the vehicle and was startled by a male voice saying “give me the money”.
She dropped the bag and ran, the court heard.
And as she was running away, she heard several gunshots being fired at her so she sought refuge on the porch of her mother’s dwelling while screaming for help. Catherine, who was home, responded to her daughter’s screams and was fatally shot.
A motor scooter was heard leaving the scene after the gunfire abated. Police later arrived and recovered and 7.62 spent shells, which are normally associated with AK47 assault rifles.
Bantering and counting money
At 8:09 pm, Hopkinson was again seen on CCTV footage riding back to his Zion Hill apartment. Upon arriving, he took the bag with the gun — and thereafter a white plastic bag — and brought them inside.
Grant is later seen joining him inside the apartment. Hopkinson is then seen enacting what appeared to be an event and both him and Grant were laughing, the DPP said. Hopkinson was further observed opening a rubber-banded, folded paper containing money and other documents. They were then seen counting the money.
Both men then pumped their fists.
Women remove gun
Further investigations revealed that Hopkinson paid his landlord the following day. He was reportedly behind on his rent.
The court heard that CCTV footage shows two females removing the bag with the said gun and taking it outside the apartment some time after. They later returned to the apartment without it. The firearm has not been recovered to date.
And during a subsequent police interview with the accused men, Hopkinson allegedly admitted to being in the area where the robbery happened. Allegedly, he further told police that he was in possession of a gun while in Paraquita Bay and declared that it was given to him by Grant.
Both men were subsequently charged.
They are both unrepresented and is scheduled to return to court on May 27.
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So their own home cameras caught them in the act? God does not sleep nor slumber.
So when this murder was first reported comments were abound that the perps were down islanders. Apparently these are homegrown thugs, the offspring of the mighty religious God fearing Belongers. All of the drug business, trafficking, drug dealing and murder are the result of the Belonger. You should all apologize to every down islander you come in contact with. You are a wicked lot.
Are you absolutely certain of your comments?
By the way if you breathe a pitbull with a rottweiler you get a stupid mutt.
don’t you mean breed?
if you think this mix is stupid, try them and then comment
Try go do your entire slate of HOMEWORK from on here sounding like a stupid mutt.
Yes, we will apologize when we find out how the Grants and Hopkinsons got here. Came and corrupt our BVI, and BVI women and men and made them as wicked like yourself.
That is ALL!!!!!!!!!
“Both men then pumped their fists” See how heartless they are….they killed the lady and was laughing and pumping fists SMH
What a couple of clowns. Their own video is going to lock them up for life.
It’s not a couple Terry, it’s 3 men and 2 smith girls!
Why are we having a trial? HANG THEM MOTHERF**KERS IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If these guys ain’t stupid idk what to call them, thanks for assisting the police with your CCTV footage. Pump ayo fists while behind bars.
Line them up and …THANKS TO THE UNIVERSE THE DAUGHTER MANAGE TO ESCAPE OR THEY WOULD HAVE KILLED HER ALSO. THE SNAKE THEY WERE KIND TO IS THE MASTER MIND. HE COULD HAVE WARNED THE DAUGHTER NOT TO GO HOME BECAUSE SHE WAS ABOUT TO BE AMBUSHED AND ROBBED. WE HAVE SOME GRIMY B****RDS WALKING AMOUNG US.
Three heartless idiots need to be taken to sea and let go. The girls are just as bad. SMDH.
If you can’t pay your rent any given month, that how u expect to continue garner money to stay in people apartment.
These bunch must be on crack. SMDH
It really pays to go to school and study your lessons.
These guys videotaped themselves with the weapons in there on homes. This proves without a doubt that the territory needs to spend more money on education.
@Just Saying. So sorry for hitting duslike button in error. But, I wish I could hug you. Best comment ever!
I tried clicking the dislike button to see what are you talking about and can’t take it back as well.
The territory also needs to spend more money om border control….
The Education system is where all this start the mixing of men and women. Immoral acts lead to indecency in the land. We have lost ourselves in assuming that all this corruption is because of anything other than from our own hands. Hand in hand every member in the community has an input in such things. From fornication, misery, lying, lack of awareness of truly knowing why you are created have humans beings running around thinking that life is about getting money. This is all a result from our own hands.everyone has contributed. Corruption has appeared in the land and the sea because of that which the human beings have earned by their own hands. The purpose of why the corruption has appeared? So that the human beings can taste some of that which they have earned. Why is that?? So that they return back to righteousness not what u think righteousness is but exactly as our Creator explain to His creation what is righteousness. Turn to you all Lord He is one having no partners,no sons,no daughters. Alone and great in His Honor and Majesty. Worship the Lord of Abraham,Moses and Jesus. Allahp is the Greatest.
Good joob keem out here capping kose have fun you f**k boy wanna be
As parents we are fighting a daily battle when raising our children. Sometimes you raised them in Church and Sunday School and they still turn away when they become older as well as sometimes we raise them on Grand Theft Auto and wearing expensive clothes and shoes from very young but when it comes to school, we let them slack off.
So what is the problem? A lot of our young people are unable to make an honest dollar. The construction field and the boating industry which is available to those who did not pay attention in school are taken over by outsiders and most of the young men on bikes are not interested in those anyway. I am old enough to remember parents telling their children I am locking my doors when I leave to go to work. You are either in school or you have a job if you are going to live here.
So these young men allegedly needed rent money and were willing to use an AK47 to get it? Moral Compass, where is their moral compasses? Did their parents teach them to do not put their hands on something that does not belong to them? Moral Compass rule number 1. Finishing school is another prerequisite of life. Your entire future is dependent on your ability to earn a living. so if you drop out, you have to take the job that persons are willing to take a chance on you in.
Please, parents, in addition to asking God everyday to guide their steps and their minds, please ensure that your children has the moral compass that will make them strive to be the best that they can be. To be goal driven, fear God, love all mankind, fear jail and is of the mindset that when I work, I eat. When I become a man, I have to pay bills and take care of my family. Men are the God-ordained head of the household. How many are taught that? How many have that mindset? If we continue to raise our boys thinking they can go and rob somebody with an AK47 when they need money we are failing miserably in loading those moral compasses. God help us all.
Taking your children to church and dropping them there will not make them a better adult. Parents these days do not spend time with their children, they do not talk to them and they do not correct them when they do wrong. Most times they even want to fight with any teachers who dare to correct them.
Please do not say that there is no jobs for them because that is just not true. They want fast money, they want big chain, they want to live on their own and they don’t want to work. They want to get out of bed at whatever time they want and want the best shoes and clothing. Sad thing is, the parents are no better!
So these fools were celebrating getting their rent money? Where were they employed? If you can’t produce a job letter from an employer with matching pay stubs or have a trade license for a business you are operating why are you out here trying to floss and making mouths to feed and foot for shoes? Y’all don’t get it!! We need a reset button in this place! We have lost a complete generation. Young people between 16 – 30 have no clue about life and being responsible. No apparent level of God consciousness and self awareness. Selfish. Ignorant. Law breaking. Pleasure seeking. Who are we turning our country over to? Growing up I hustled at the supermarket bagging groceries to earn tips to buy what my mother couldn’t afford. I worked construction as a helper during the summer to buy my 1st pair of suede Bally’s back in the ‘80’s. You young people today have no work ethic but want the best of everything… Lord Jesus please help us to turn this around
SO WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN ABOUT NEXT MONTHS RENT. HELP US UNIVERSE, THEY WERE GOING TO GO OUT [ALLEGEDLY] ROB AND GUN DOWN SOMEONE ELSE FOR NEXT MONTHS RENT WITH THE SAME AK-47? I AGREE, PUT THEM … INTO THE OCEAN.
I hear what you are trying to say but you can’t make up your own facts. Ask *** what his father does for a living, how long he’s been doing it and how much he makes. I remember seeing him as a little boy with his father. I am a BVIslander and I have a successful 25+ Year career in the charter industry. Nothing is achieved without hard work, commitment and dedication. These young people want microwave success. Even coming out of college some of them want to be in charge because they have a degree… please! Sit your behind down and gain life experiences and grow into your success
Wow look at that these cruel heartless nasty wicked youths. Tv gangsters think n they got heart wen they’re cowards now look at them can’t even stand up 2 the pressure of been questions he RAT on his friend.
Deal with the consequences of ur actions now punks!!!!!!!
So what happen to the other woman who helped remove the gun?
Let me just say on behalf the entire Territory that I hope and pray that Mrs Esprit and her team are ready to competently prosecute this case so we are not disappointed with the outcome, please, and thanks.
I thought i heard one mother saying that her son was home with her at the time and she could attest to it?
She need to deal with the law.cause she as a mother so be willing to mame him see where he was wrong a d she dont want to encourage him in his wrong..may be she is the cause for not showing him when be is wrong as a parent and not as a friend shen he is wrong.
From your lips to God’s ears…
In Jesus’s name, amen.
We need to have gun amnesties at least twice a year. A lot of you parents know your children an no good and they in all kind of stuff and that they have weapons in your house and you turning a blind eye. We all need to take back control of the destiny of this country and it start in your house and with how we raise our kids! We all need to do our part in getting these guns off the street.
Wait how *** mother say he was home during the time of the crime. Pump your fist to that ***. They should hold you too. Dumb and dumber.
Hope this case is presented well. Seems like all ducks are in a row for a conviction but look the *** that presenting on behalf of the state. Come on ppl…….. Them duck out the door.
FINALLY WE ARE ACKNOLEDGING THE WRONG THINGS THAT WE ARE GUILTY OF INSTEAD OF POINTING FINGERS ELSE WHERE AND THOSE WHO ARE IN POWER AND HIGH POSITIONS TO START THE HEALING PROCESS ISTEAD OF CLOSING OUR EYES AND BLOCKING OUR EARS TO ALL THE HATRED AND EVILNESS THAT IS CONSTANTLY BEING SPEWED OUT AGAINST OUR CARIBBEAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS . WE ALL LIVE ONCE AND WE ALL WILL DIE ONCE SO DO THE RIGHT THING ~ YOU CAN FOOL MAN BUT YOU CANNOT FOOL GOD . MAY GOD BLESS US ALL ?
So these clowns recorded themselves moving around with their gun , idiots.
I’m a little confuse can someone fill me in please? So, Hopkinson was at the Pickering’s residence alone? Also, it said two girls hid the gun but only one girl is mentioned to be charged which is Tyann but this article named her as Tiffany, that’s an error? Or both girls are tyann and Tiffany?
Well! the other girl could have been in her company and had no clue what was in the bag if she was not seen handling it.
Police, do not forget to go as far back as possible on those video cameras. There could be much more on there to see…….
Life in the BVI was just given a price tag of $3,100.
What is the government going to do about this? Gun sentences are still a joke!
Whatever happens in darkness comes to light
Good Police work. This crime is worthy of a death sentence