Guyana Extradites Fugitive to US for 1st Time Ever

Guyana extradited its first suspected criminal, an alleged murderer, Wednesday, sending the man to Queens, New York, in the United States to stand trial for crimes believed to have been commited during a visit in 2011.

RELATED: 

750 Military Killed in Mexico Since 'War on Drugs' Began

33-year-old Troy Thomas returned to New York Wednesday after exhausting his last right of appeal to Guyanese authorities Wednesday. He arrived in the United States in time for a morning trial Thursday and was arraigned at the 106th Precinct.

U.S. authorities allege that while attending a house party on Dec. 11, 2011, Thomas was witnessed arguing with fellow party-goer, Keith Frank, whom he later shot in chest from his car. He fled to Guyana, however, before a thorough investigation could be conducted and, in 2018, ran straight into the arms of the South American nation’s police and a year-long detainment.

Chief Assistant District Attorney John M. Ryan, said, “The defendant has been on the run for seven years, but today he is in our custody and will answer for the senseless killing of a 20-year-old man in South Richmond Hill, Queens, just before Christmas in 2011.

“The family of the victim deserves justice for their deceased loved one. The defendant now faces a lengthy term of incarceration for his alleged actions,” Ryan said.

The U.S. embassy cheered the extradition, saying it set a new precedent for wanted international criminals.

U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, Sara-Ann Lynch said in an official statement: “The Government of Guyana’s actions over the past year clearly indicate its dedication to law and order and established norms of international criminal justice.

“Guyana is moving in the right direction. Establishing a roadmap for future extraditions, bringing a fugitive to justice, making Guyana a safer place for Guyanese citizens – this is the best example of rule of law existing in Guyana,” Lynch said.