The community of Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara was in shock yesterday morning following the brutal slaying of a villager and boutique manager.

Mark Gill called 'Markie', 31, manager of Big Gill Fashions in Water Street and of Lot 10 New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, was found in a pool of blood in his bedroom around 8 am yesterday. His body bore several chops with a gaping one almost severing his neck.

Relatives and police were up to press time last night baffled as to who could have carried out the dastardly attack. Stabroek News was told that no one could enter Gill's yard unless he first opened the front gate. Police are therefore working on the theory that it was someone he knew.

Senior police sources in the area said several persons including neighbours and the dead man's maid were questioned.

A release from the Police Public Relations Unit said Gill's partly-undressed body was found in a room by an employee who had reported for duty. The employee, according to the release, found one of Gill's doors opened. Police said the dead man was last seen alive by a close relative who took him home around 10 pm Thursday.

When Stabroek News visited the dead man's home yesterday scores of relatives and friends had converged. Police ranks were busy conducting investigations. One of Gill's siblings told this newspaper that he had lived at the house with his parents who were both overseas.

According to reports, Gill's parents left the country on Wednesday on business and are due to arrive home tomorrow.

Relatives told this newspaper that Gill was the manager of his father's store Big Gill Fashions on Water Street.

Stabroek News was told that some time around 6.30 on Thursday evening, the maid departed securing the house and the gate.

Gill arrived home around 10 pm, one relative confirmed. At the time, no one was with him.

It is being surmised that someone whom he knew might have arrived later. Gill's yard is well secured with barbed-wire reinforcement on top of the concrete fence.

The front gate is several feet tall and according to relatives, no one can enter it unless someone inside opens it.

It is not clear what transpired, relatives admitted, but around 8 am yesterday when the maid reported for duty, the front gate was shut but not padlocked.

When she got to the house, the front door was half-open. Relatives said there was no evidence of forced entry. The businessman was also not robbed.

The maid, according to reports, went into the house on the assumption that Gill had opened the gate and door. She had begun sweeping and tidying up the house when she happened upon Gill's mutilated corpse lying in a pool of clotted blood in his bedroom.

Police said the state of his body and the clotted blood indicated Gill had been killed several hours before 8 am yesterday.

Upon her discovery, the maid summoned the police at the nearby Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station. Ranks quickly responded to the call and cordoned off the scene.

Relatives said while they were unclear as to who committed the crime, they suspected that it was someone Gill knew well. "He didn't have any trouble with anyone. You ask anyone around this place and they will tell you that he was a friendly and loving boy," Gill's sister Dianne remarked.

Police sources said it was unclear how many persons carried out the attack, although evidence so far was pointing to one. Gill is survived by his parents and sister.