Toxicology test confirms that duo found dead in Marriott Hotel parking lot ingested cyanide
A toxicology test conducted on the stomach contents of 25-year-old Paishnarine “Ritchie” Hansraj, a local singer, and Justin Teixeira unearthed a significant cyanide concentration.
This was disclosed by the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) on Wednesday.
“The analysis conducted at NMS Labs on Samples recovered from the two bodies indicate a positive result for cyanide poisoning in both remains,” a brief statement said.
Hansraj of Hague Backdam, West Coast Demerara (WCD), and 34-year-old Teixeira were discovered motionless in a parked car bearing registration number PAC 2607 in the Marriott Hotel parking lot on April 23.
A Post Mortem Examination (PME) conducted on the duo by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh returned inconclusive.
An employee informed investigators of the Hotel that he received a call from Teixeira’s mother, stating that he was having a seizure and asked if someone could check on him.
The hotel employee said he immediately dispatched another coworker to check on Teixeira, who was a guest at the Marriott, but when the employee checked the room, it was empty.
The employee then went to Teixeira’s black Vezel motorcar, which was parked bearing registration number PAC 2607, where he observed Teixeira sitting in the driver’s seat, with all the windows halfway down.
The employee added that he opened the front passenger door and discovered Hansraj sitting in a crunch-like position. Both Teixeira and Hansraj appeared to be motionless.
He immediately called 911, and an ambulance with a medical professional arrived and pronounced both men dead on the scene. No marks of violence were seen on the exposed parts of the bodies.
A “whitish hard substance” was found in the vehicle's back seat, and preliminary analysis confirmed the presence of cyanide.
