Taxi Driver sentenced to life for 2018 murder of Canadian executive

A 26-year-old taxi driver who confessed to killing Canadian national Neil Whyte during a violent encounter in Georgetown has been sentenced to life imprisonment, with eligibility for parole after 28 years.

Acting Chief Justice Navindra Singh handed down the sentence last week in the High Court in Demerara after Anthony “Cookie” Ragnauth pleaded guilty to the capital offence of murder.

Ragnauth, of Middle Road, East La Penitence, was represented by attorney Latchmie Rahamat. The State was represented by State Counsel Christopher Belfield, with support from Simran Gajraj and Geneva Wills.

His guilty plea stemmed from the killing of 42-year-old Neil Whyte, a Supply Chain Manager at Guyana Goldfields Inc., who died on May 21, 2018.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Ragnauth met Whyte around five months before the incident while working as a taxi driver. The two communicated regularly and socialised occasionally.

On the night of the killing, Whyte invited Ragnauth to his Thomas Street apartment, where they drank together. Security footage later captured Ragnauth entering the residence with Whyte around 10:00 p.m. and leaving at 11:45 p.m. carrying a black haversack. Shortly afterward, a security guard discovered Whyte’s naked, bloodied body in his bedroom and alerted law enforcement.

Police later intercepted Ragnauth while he was driving a black motor car on May 23, 2018. He initially denied involvement but changed his account after officers presented security footage connecting him to the scene. “Officer, I will tell you everything, and I did not mean to kill him,” he reportedly said.

In his caution statement, Ragnauth said Whyte had expressed affection toward him and that the two agreed to a consensual sexual encounter, during which Whyte allowed himself to be restrained with plastic ties. Ragnauth said he then retrieved a kitchen knife and stabbed Whyte multiple times before stealing cash and valuables from the apartment.

A post-mortem examination confirmed Whyte suffered 17 stab wounds to the neck, shoulders, arms, and hands. The injuries severed major blood vessels, including the jugular vein, and pierced his trachea and larynx. The cause of death was listed as shock and hemorrhage.

Investigators later found that Ragnauth discarded Whyte’s credit cards, wallet, and phones along the seawall but kept the cash, knife, and haversack.

A prima facie case was established, and Ragnauth was committed to stand trial before choosing to plead guilty to the capital offence. He will now serve a life sentence, with eligibility for parole after 28 years.

Canadian National, Neil Whyte