HGP Nightly News – Grief and anger are colliding in the aftermath of a deadly incident at a Georgetown guest house, as relatives of a 31-year-old housekeeper say repeated warnings went unheeded and the justice system failed to protect her. Lauren Cyrus was found with multiple stab wounds early Tuesday morning at the KK Villa Guest House on Lime Street, Wortmanville.
Police say her former boyfriend, 36-year-old security guard Cyril Saul, was discovered unresponsive on a lower floor of the building. Both were pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. As investigators continue to piece together the final hours before the killing, Cyrus’ brother, Ryan Sanko, says the tragedy was not sudden or unforeseeable.
According to him, his sister had previously survived a violent attack by Saul and had already walked away from the relationship. That matter, he said, was before the courts at the time of her death. “She left home in Berbice looking for a better life, to help our mother and support the family,” Sanko told reporters. “Instead, she met this end.
It’s a shock. It’s something you can’t get over.” Sanko recounted a prior incident in which police were called after Saul allegedly attacked his sister with knives. He said visible signs of violence were present and that the family believed the matter amounted to attempted murder. Despite police involvement at the time, he claims there was no meaningful follow-up.“
If someone draws a weapon and tries to stab your sister, that’s attempted murder,” he said. “We trusted the system, and look where we are now.” Police have confirmed that both Cyrus and Saul were employees of the guest house and were the only staff members on duty during the overnight shift. Investigators also confirmed that the pair had been involved in an intimate relationship that reportedly ended about two months before the incident.
Sanko described his sister as a hardworking woman who felt trapped between responsibility and fear. He said she was determined to earn her own income and support their mother, even as concerns about her safety lingered. According to him, family members had urged her to leave the job and return home, but financial pressures and uncertainty kept her in Georgetown.
“She was trying to help our mother. She paid bills. She wanted to work,” he said. “She was caught between a rock and a hard place.” He added that after initially leaving the guest house, Cyrus was encouraged to return, with assurances that things would be safe and even a small raise offered.
Despite her family’s concerns, she went back. Police say several items were recovered from the scene, including a firearm, ammunition, a knife, and a quantity of a suspected poisonous substance. CCTV footage from the premises has been identified and is being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation.
Several persons have also been contacted and questioned. The bodies were later transported to the Memorial Funeral Parlour Mortuary, where post-mortem examinations are pending.
As the investigation continues, Cyrus’ family is left demanding answers, not only about what happened inside the guest house, but about whether earlier warnings, court proceedings, and police interventions could have prevented a life from being lost.
“This didn’t have to happen,” Sanko said. “And that’s the hardest part to live with.”
