Mother devastated by murder of son

With the death of Demron “Cheetah” Delpesche, a mother has lost her first son and provider, and St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has recorded its 52nd homicide for 2023.

On Sunday December 3, at about 7:25 am at Belmont, Demron became the fourth person to be shot over the weekend and the second man to die between Saturday, December 2 and Sunday, December 3.

A report says that the 31-year-old Belmont man was walking along the Belmont public road when he was attacked by an armed assailant.

Delpesche was pronounced dead at the scene by a medical doctor and his mother Gloria Delpesche told SEARCHLIGHT on Monday that her son was shot several times and three of the bullets appeared to have struck him in the face. A postmortem examination will be conducted on the deceased today.

“I feel bad about it,” Gloria told SEARCHLIGHT through tears as she stood on the steps of Mama’s Corner shop in Fairbairn Pasture.

She said Demron was a good son to her and he took care of her. He was the oldest of her children and she said he was one of two of her seven children who help her financially.

Gloria said she does not know why someone would want to kill her son although there are rumours circulating as to why he was killed. She noted that when she visited the crime scene on Sunday, some of the people gathered around the area were saying her son was a good person.

“His name never call in nothing, whatsoever,” Gloria said while adding that her son would sell produce to make a living and would usually give her a percentage of his earnings.

The Fairbairn Pasture woman said she would like if her son’s killer is brought to justice and she thinks the crime situation in the country is out of control. She said she believes in the death penalty.

“He was a cool guy, but me never know if anything going on under cover that I didn’t know, because is not everything children does tell you,” Gloria said, while noting that her son had no children and there was no hint of him being in any sort of trouble with individuals or the law.

“I really sad and everything. He was my backbone. He used to give me anything,” Gloria told SEARCHLIGHT.

“My son just go down just like that,” Gloria lamented, while another relative said he is hurt by the killing and would like if the man who killed Demron went out the same way.

On December 13, 2016, SEARCHLIGHT reported that Belmont resident Benson Browne was charged with the December 4, 2016 attempted murder of Demron Delpesche at Belmont.

Following that charge, Browne pleaded guilty to possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition and was later sentenced to four years imprisonment on the gun charge. Additionally, Browne received a two-year sentence for possession of 17 rounds of ammunition, while a nine-month term of imprisonment was handed down for the possession of three rounds of ammunition. The sentences ran concurrently.

Demron’s death marked the end of a bloody weekend here.

Also shot over the weekend, on Saturday, December 2, were Edinboro labourers Deejay Howard, 29, and Alando Emron Guy, 35. Guy succumbed to his injuries, while Howard is in stable condition and still warded at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH).

Also on Saturday, Joveka Gaymes, a 28-year-old labuorer of Layou was shot two times about his body at Layou. He survived and is in a stable condition at the MCMH.

Meanwhile, investigators are asking persons with information that can assist with these investigations to come forward.

“If you see something, say something. Do not cover up for the criminals. Work with the police and share any information that you may have. Together, we can prevent crime, arrest and prosecute criminals, and make our communities safer.

“All information received would be treated confidentially,” the police said in a release on Monday.