Another Family Tragedy: Wakapoa Killing Puts Violence In Focus

By Mark DaCosta-A quiet midday on the Lower Pomeroon River ended in bloodshed on Friday, 13 November 2026, when a 25-year-old fisherman was arrested in connection with the fatal cutlass attack on his own father in Wakapoa Village, Essequibo Coast.

The killing of 51-year-old Winston Fredericks, allegedly in his own yard, has left a tight-knit riverain community grappling with a crime that strikes at the most basic bond of family. It also puts a spotlight on how swiftly local citizens can act when violence erupts in remote corners of our nation. That quick response from villagers is commendable.

According to the Guyana Police Force, Mr. Fredericks was resting in a hammock around noon when his son approached and allegedly struck him repeatedly with a cutlass. The wounds were concentrated on his face but extended to other parts of his body. Within roughly a quarter of an hour, members of the village’s Community Policing Group had detained the suspect and delivered him to the police, a response that likely prevented further incidents and preserved the integrity of the scene.