Man to be charged with murder of 12-year-old Mercedez Layne

Sascha Wilson

A 26-year-old Palo Seco man is expected to be charged with the murder of 12-year-old Mercedez Layne.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has advised investigators to lay the charge after reviewing the file submitted by officers of the Region Three Homicide Bureau of Investigations. Once charged, the suspect is expected to appear before a High Court Master tomorrow.

The suspect was detained hours after Mercedez’s body was discovered. Investigators also returned to his home at Dickie Trace yesterday as part of ongoing enquiries.

Mercedez was reported missing by her grandfather around 4 p.m. on Saturday. He told police that at 11.30 a.m., he placed her in a wagon and asked the male driver, whom he did not know, to take her to her home less than five minutes away. She never arrived.

Police officers, residents and members of the Hunters Search and Rescue Team subsequently launched a search for the child.

The following day, at approximately 6.43 a.m., a worker with Trinity Exploration and Production Services discovered Mercedez’s body lying face down and motionless near Well ER-46, about 500 feet along a dirt road off Carapal Road, Erin.

Investigators found several items near the scene, including a plastic bag containing packets of ramen noodles, a circular piece of wood and a broken beer bottle.

The investigation was led by Supt Persad and ASP Maraj of the Region Three Homicide Bureau of Investigations. Woman Cpl Dyer-Baptiste is expected to formally lay the charge.