The speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dr. Bhofal Chambers, is calling for
justice in the attempted murder case of young Jessica Lloyd.
According to report, an American national identified as Lucas Richard, recently
attempted to murder Jessica Lloyd, after he slit her throat with a knife in
Barnersville.
Speaker Chambers intimated that the domestic violence meted against the young
Liberian lady Jessica, contravenes the laws of Liberia including other international
treaties.
He maintained that prosecuting suspect Richard, will prevent such recurrence and
protect the rights of all Liberians.
The Speaker made the comments Tuesday, September 19, 2023, after he visited
and identified with victim Jessica Lloyd at the John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital.
Meanwhile, the Liberia National Police-LNP, said it is investigating the American
national on allegations of Criminal attempt to commit murder and aggravated
assault.
The victim of attempted Murder, Jessica Lloyd, is currently undergoing treatment
at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia.
An American national, Lucas Richard, recently meted and inflicted bodily wounds
on her in Barnersville.
The Honorable Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Bhofal Chambers,
visited and rendered financial support to her Tuesday, September 19, 2023.
Explaining her ordeal, Jessica revealed that Lucas earlier picked her up from her
home informing her that he wanted them to go view a certain waterside located
in the Barnersville area.
According to her, when she and Lucas arrived at the waterside, some thugs where
there who requested money. But he told them that he had missed the road to his
destination. So they directed him to where he said he was going.
“But firstly, before we got down from the car, he took out the knife and said ‘you
know I am afraid of snakes; so in case we see snake, we can kill it. So he got down
from the car and put the knife in his pocket,” Jessica narrated.
The victim said later on, Lucas walked her down into a bush off the main road
claiming he wanted to urinate; she offered to hold their water bottle while he
passed urine.
But she said after peeing, Lucas told her he had seen something under the bush
like an animal and she should come nearer to see it.
Jessica narrated further that being afraid, she only stood at a distance from
behind him.
Jessica: “It’s like when I was going to go closer he was just going to kill me right
there. When he finished peeing, I said wash your hands. He said thank you but I
want to use sanitizer. When we went a bit in front he said he wanted to pee
again in some kind of bush. He said stand behind me; you know these small
children can be passing around. That’s how I stood behind him but not too close.
When he finished, we took the direction where the car was packed.”
She stated that they then drove to the road leading to the Saint Michael School in
Barnesville to get on the route towards Duala.
The victim narrated further that after Lucas drove passed all the crowded places,
she told him they should just find place around there and talk instead of going
further.
The victim further explained, “then we came across a cemetery. He said
sometimes in America we go at the cemetery to view graves, look at the names of
the people who have died and when they died. I said no; I don’t want to go there;
I’m scared of graves. So that’s how we went in front small into a bush… So he said
the car tyre had problem and he wanted to change it.”
Jessica noted that she sat in the car while Lucas went to fix the tyre; but later he
requested to get down and help him.
Later, she said Lucas then gave her a tool and instructed her to try to loosen one
of the bolts on the tyre ring while he unscrewed another.
“So I was turning the screw. He said oh there’s dirt in your hair, and put his hand
in my hair and opened it up… said he was cleaning the dirt. Then he hit it (Jessica’s
head). I heard booop… I fell on the ground and started jerking. When I woke up,
he pushed me back on the ground,” Jessica narrated.
She said after she fell to the ground, Lucas then took out the knife from his pocket
and started cutting her neck, but she was not feeling the pain because he had
apparently drugged her while in the car.
According to the victim, while cutting her neck, a young man who had been
watching the suspicious scene came running towards Lucas with a stick causing
him to get off her to flee for safety since the situation had gained the attention of
angry mobs.
However, Lucas told police investigation that he was not the one who harmed
Jessica, who pictorial evidence revealed he had traditionally married.
He said while he was yet changing his car tyre, a motorbike ran into Jessica who
was standing on the sidewalk. But while reaching out to help the victim, the
motorbike rider started shouting and calling crowd on him.
On Friday, speculations broke up that Lucas had since been extradited to the
United States of America since US citizens are not allowed to be tried by other
nations, but the Liberia National Police said it was still investigating the American
national on allegations of Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder and Aggravated Assault.
