The family of tour guide Leon Baird is growing increasingly frustrated as they report a lack of recent communication from police regarding the investigation into his tragic and gruesome death.
Baird’s brother, Nigel Andrew, expressed his dismay to the News Room on Thursday, stating that the family’s efforts to engage with investigators have been met with silence. “The Police didn’t tell me anything, or I ain’t hear back from them, so exactly I ain’t know what going on,” Andrew lamented. He added, “I was getting communication with them, but I ain’t hearing back from them; they ain’t tell me back anything.”
The family is desperate for clarity on the circumstances surrounding Baird’s death. Andrew emphasized their need for answers, stating, “I want to know what’s the situation… I would like to know the facts and the real thing exactly what going on.”
As they await further information, the family is in the process of preparing for Baird’s burial. However, Andrew mentioned that they might need to delay funeral arrangements as they contemplate arranging a second, independent autopsy. “We still got to do something to figure out what we could figure out. So it’s our decision and our timing, it will happen,” he said.
In contrast to the family’s search for answers, the police remain tight-lipped about the progress of the investigation. However, sources from the News Room indicate that several individuals were flown to Georgetown on Wednesday for questioning, including those reportedly detained during the initial stages of the investigation.
Leon Baird went missing on the morning of January 23 after leaving a ranch to search for cattle. Tragically, a worker discovered his partially burned remains inside a torched vehicle the following day. The police later confirmed that Baird’s body was found in a burnt vehicle near Wichabai Ranch along the eastern bank of the Rupununi River. A post-mortem examination revealed that he died from burns and was alive prior to the fire. DNA samples were also collected as part of the identification process.
In follow-up searches, law enforcement uncovered the remains of two cattle believed to have been shot, alongside a knife and spent shotgun shells. Investigators suspect that Baird may have encountered individuals involved in cattle rustling shortly before his death.
Relatives have stated that Baird had previously received threats from men he met while working in the savannah near Wichabai Ranch, with family members linking those threats to the ongoing issue of cattle theft in the region.
As the family continues to seek justice for Baird, they remain hopeful for the answers they deserve.
