ACCOMPANIED by his parents, a 20-year-old Claxton Bay man surrendered to the police on Tuesday in connection with the stabbing death of teenager Lester Richards.

The man was taken into custody by police officers at the Couva Police
Station, and yesterday Superintendant of the Homicide Division (South) Cyril Harry said investigations were continuing into the murder of Richards.

Richards, a Form Three pupil of the Gasparillo Composite School, was stabbed in his chest in a parlour near his home at Valley Road, Diamond Village.

Police were told that the teenager had an argument over a Blackberry cellphone with a man from the village.
The deceased teenager's relatives told police that a man stole the phone from him, and on Saturday night he retrieved it from the thief.
The next day the thief confronted Richards while he was at a parlour purchasing bread.

The argument escalated, and Richards was stabbed once in his chest.

Yesterday, his parents, Ricky Richards and Leslie Lee declined
comment when asked about the suspect in police custody.
The teenager's funeral is expected to be at 2 p.m. today at the family home.