Family members of the two men found dead in a car in the parking lot of the Marriott Hotel are still making final funeral arrangements as they await the completion of the investigation and the green light from the Police for them to cremate the remains.

While the Police have released the bodies to the families, they have asked them to bury and not cremate the bodies. However, both men were Hindus and the families prefer for the bodies to be cremated.

The Guyana Police Force is currently awaiting the results from the samples sent overseas for additional tests so that a cause of death could be determined. A post-mortem examination done locally was inconclusive as tests could not have been done locally to determine the substance that it is believed the two men ingested moments before they died.

A white brick-like substance was found in a bottle in the backseat of the car. Police suspect that the substance is the very poisonous sodium cyanide.

Earlier this week, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn met with the relatives of one of the young men who died and assured them that the results for the samples sent overseas will be back soon.

Today, Minister Benn told reporters that he is expecting the results from the tests on the samples to be made available in the new week.

The lifeless bodies of 34-year-old Justin Teixeira and 25-year-old Richie Hansraj were discovered early on Saturday morning in Teixeira’s recently purchased Honda SUV which was in the parking lot of the Marriott hotel. 

Teixeira was a guest of the hotel. Hotel staff members went in search of him after receiving a call from a relative who explained that he had called them to complain that he was feeling unwell. Checks to his hotel room came up empty-handed, but his body along with the body of his friend, Richie Hansraj was found moments later.

The two were very close friends and traveled a lot together. The younger man was preparing to get engaged and married in May.

Investigators said Teixeira’s body was found in a laid-back position in the driver’s seat of the car, while Hanraj’s body was found on the passenger side, kneeling on the ground onto the front passenger seat. 

Relatives are hoping for some closure as they prepare to bid their final goodbyes.

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