by Nigel Williams

GEORGETOWN, guyana – A 32-year-old ‘ladies man’ who was found with his pants down in the home of another man on the West Coast Demerara early Wednesday morning was shot dead while trying to flee.

Donald Mars, a gold vendor at the Stabroek Market, had gone to the shooter’s house at Public Road, Vreed-en-Hoop reportedly on an invitation by a relative of the man, but was discovered by the shooter with only his undergarments on and shot in the abdomen. {{more}}

Police said in a release that Mars was shot around 12.05 a.m. Tuesday at New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop. He died one hour after.

According to the police, it is alleged that Mars was shot by a licensed firearm holder. He was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital by the police who responded minutes after the shooting. He died around 1 a.m. Tuesday.

Mars, the police said, was clad in his underwear and a crowbar was found about three feet away from him. A senior police officer on the West Demerara had earlier indicated to Stabroek News that the matter was being treated as a robbery. But by mid-afternoon yesterday, police had received fresh information causing them to shift their focus.

It was not clear whether the shooter, a West Demerara businessman, was still in custody. He had spent a long period with the police yesterday giving a statement.

Relatives and friends of the dead man were furious when Stabroek News visited Vreed-en-Hoop yesterday. One of three reputed wives of Mars said police had been telling them he was killed while committing a robbery.

A police source in the area said Mars was either shot while fleeing or was dragged from inside the man’s house into the yard where it would appear he had hit his head on the concrete.

Barbara Grant, the woman with whom Mars was living, said he was known for having many women, but he was no thief. The woman said the shooter was now trying to say that Mars had gone to his house to steal, but that was untrue. “He had no reason to thief, that man (Mars) got everything he wanted,” Grant said.

Marlyn Pollydore, Mars’ divorced wife, said he had been carrying on an affair with the shooter’s paramour for a number of years. According to Pollydore, even while she was married to Mars, rumours were rife about Mars and the woman.

Pollydore said she divorced Mars because of his infidelity.

Grant, tears streaming down her face, recalled that Mars left their Goed Intent, West Bank Demerara house around 7 p.m. on Monday, telling her he was going for a walk. He ended up at another longstanding girlfriend’s home at Nismes also on the West Bank.

The pregnant woman at Nismes, Grant said, admitted that Mars had visited her but said he left around 10 p.m. saying that he was going home.

Mars must have journeyed from Nismes to Vreed-en-Hoop where he visited the shooter’s residence.

Residents all spoke of Mars as a ladies’ man, but they maintained that he was no crook. According to one relative, Mars was well known to the shooter, because he had frequented the man’s business place.

Hospital sources said Mars was taken to the hospital with his underwear down around his thighs. Blood was oozing from his side and there were also spots of blood on his head.

Commenting on the possibility of Mars trying to rob the man, relatives said the man’s house was well grilled and it would take a stupid thief to break into a licensed firearm holder’s house. They also dismissed the suggestions that Mars might have been carrying a crow bar.

“We know that he ain’t get no right to be in the man’s house, but let them don’t seh he was a thief,” Grant declared.

Mars is survived by eight siblings, his mother Florence Mars and three children.