Double Day Hotel owner released, barred from leaving Guyana

The owner of Double Day Hotel, who was taken into custody in connection with the death of Adrianna Younge, has been released after the statutory detention period expired, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) confirmed. Although no charges have been laid, the individual has been instructed to report to the police station daily as investigations continue.

Authorities have also taken steps to prevent the hotel owner from fleeing the jurisdiction. The Immigration Department has officially blacklisted him, prohibiting any attempts to leave the country while the investigation remains active.

In a significant development, DNA samples from the hotel owner and the late Adrianna Younge were collected and will be flown to New York this evening. A forensic investigator will escort the samples to the Mount Sinai Health System for advanced analysis and testing.

The GPF also disclosed that several personnel have been placed on administrative leave due to their involvement in procedural errors that affected the early stages of the investigation. Among them is Assistant Commissioner Khalid Mandall, who will remain on leave pending the outcome of the probe.

A civilian staff member stationed at the command center on the day in question admitted to investigators that she entered the wrong date while reviewing security footage from the vicinity of the Double Day Hotel. Her mistake led to a false report indicating that a woman resembling Younge was seen leaving the premises with a man.

Further inquiries revealed that a sergeant from the Special Constabulary Unit misled colleagues by falsely claiming she received a call from an anonymous male stating that Younge had left in a black Raum vehicle. Investigators traced the call and identified the caller, who turned out to be personally acquainted with the sergeant. He admitted to providing the information based on hearsay from individuals outside the hotel. Phone records confirmed the duration of the 10-minute call between the two.

As the investigation widens, a Corporal and a Constable have also been relieved of their duties for negligence. The GPF says the probe remains ongoing and has promised to keep the public informed as new findings emerge.