By MERRICK ANDREWS
Online News Editor

Premier and Seventh District Representative, Natalio Wheatley, has urged persons to resolve conflicts without using guns and violence in light of Monday’s murder of a resident of his constituency, Yan Edwards.

Wheatley, in a post on his official Facebook page, said he was “saddened to learn of yet another murder in our community”.

He expressed “sincere condolences” to the family and friends of the deceased.

“We must end this cycle of violence! I am appealing to those who resolve conflict through violence to put down your guns. Violence only breeds more violence and more crying mothers and mourning families.

“Let’s do all we can to end this cycle of violence in our communities and let’s pray for the healing of our lands,” the premier concluded.

According to reports, Edwards (in photo below), 42, of Long Look, was seated at a popular bar in the eastern community when an assailant or assailants fired shots in his direction.



The incident occurred after 6 p.m.

No one else was injured, police said.

Edwards, a former BVI fire officer, is no stranger to the law.

He along with Allen Baptiste were both sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2013 for the death of Keri Harrigan, who was shot to death in Long Look on March 16, 2011.

However, in 2018, Court of Appeal judges threw out the convictions of both men and ordered a retrial.

On December 2, 2013 Edwards along with Rodney Simmonds Jr. were sentenced to seven years and five years, respectively, after they had been found guilty of conspiring to murder Cornel Melbourne Francis.

At the time, Edwards was serving the life sentence for Harrigan’s murder – a conviction which was eventually squashed.

Edwards reportedly was released on bail last year — awaiting a retrial in the Harrigan case — after trying many times to obtain freedom.

His killing is the first homicide in the territory for 2023.