As wanted fugitive Neil Bovell continues to elude the police, fearful residents of Stanleytown, West Coast Demerara have begun to leave the village while others are closing their doors tightly before darkness falls.

“The mere presence of this man in the village is tormenting us and as for our young women they are afraid to walk late”, an elderly resident of Stanleytown told Stabroek News yesterday.

Bovell allegedly killed his reputed wife, Phillipa Harrison during a domestic dispute a month ago and is also wanted for questioning in relation to the recent murder of Vernon Bernard, the abduction of his daughter and the torching of his house.

Since then, police at the Wales Station have intensified their search for him but up to now he has not been picked up.

Stabroek News visited Stanleytown yesterday and learnt that Bovell was seen last week Tuesday morning trying to enter a house located at Lot 120 Stanleytown, a few houses away from where Bernard had resided.

According to a resident in the area, around 10 am on Tuesday he was walking in his backyard when he spotted Bovell, dressed in a short pants and a shirt, trying to enter the house from the back door.

The man said he did not immediately raise an alarm but on seeing him Bovell fled into some dense bushes that surround the area.

The Stanleytown resident told this newspaper that the police were called instantly but before they arrived Bovell had already disappeared. He said the police still made a search in the bushes for him but to no avail.

Other residents who spoke to this newspaper identified the dense bush as the main reason why Bovell is still able to roam the area. Yesterday, residents cleared a large portion of the bush and discovered a tent amidst the tall trees.

They were adamant that the tent was used by Bovell who they say had been hiding out very close to the road rather than further down in the bush.

“You ain’t see dis man get a lot of sense. He knows that nobody would expect him to be hiding so close to residents,” the Stanleytown resident said.

He added that several persons in the area have been threatened by Bovell already and some were initially forced to provide him with meals.

The Stanleytown resident called for a more organised search for the fugitive, noting that both the residents and the police would have to be involved.

The elderly man observed that many persons were afraid to speak out.

“And they have all right, dis place is filled with single women who are very old, there aren’t many young men so nobody wants to take a chance.”

This newspaper was shown an area in the bush where Bovell used to hide out prior to the torching of the Bernards’ home. Also there are a number of unfinished houses in the area and some residents believe that Bovell might be using those also as shelter. They were adamant that he was still in the village even though he has not been seen since Tuesday.

The Stanleytown man told this newspaper that dozens of residents have temporarily moved out of the village while others only stay during the day but leave in the nights.

“This ting is getting frightening for everybody and we can’t form no group because we don’t have plenty people in the area,” he said.

He pointed out that at present Stanleytown needed the support of the security forces. He contended that the ranks at Wales Police Station seemed either reluctant to pursue the fugitive or are ill-equipped.

“But to capture this man ain’t require anything special. I am sure that he does not have a gun, he might be carrying a knife in his waist but that’s all.”

The man told this newspaper that some residents have since taken it upon themselves to clear as much bush as they could to expose Bovell’s hideout.

He said from as early as 6:30 pm everyday, residents could be seen closing up their doors.

Asked why Bovell might prefer to hide in Stanleytown rather than other places the resident said, “No one has any reason to go into those bushes, you ain’t’ see how thick they are.

This is a little forest so he can afford to stay right here all the time.”