Armed bandits shoot shop owner dead ...wife spared after pleading for her life GEORGETOWN- A Saturday night robbery left a family of five mourning the death of their father, while counting their losses. Dead is City Council Stone Depot, duty operator and father of four, Phillip Andrew Bess, called ‘Fine Man', 41, of Stevedore Housing Scheme, Squatting Area.    Unsolved murder  He was shot in the region of the heart at close range when he tried to ward off five unmasked bandits, who had invaded his grocery shop and home Saturday night. Recounting the incident, his eldest daughter said that at about 9 pm she was sitting outside the shop when two young men entered the shop to make a purchase. “The two came in the shop and three others were standing at the corner. Then one came with $20 to buy mints and then they left.” Man shot dead at sand pit However, their departure was not for too long as they returned minutes later to shelter from the rain. “Two went in to we yard and the others came in the shop and I tell them they can't shelter in the yard,” the grieving daughter related. She recalled that seconds later, while she was still outside the shop, two of the men were seen forcing two teenagers into the shop. One had an ice pick and another had a gun. “When I see them doing that I run away and went for help but the boy at the other shop refuse to lend me he cell phone.” A younger sister, who was attending to the shop at the time, told Kaieteur News that the two men forced open the shop door and pushed the two boys inside. “They tell me to lie on the floor and I call out for me father.” While stooping she was dealt several slaps to the face and then ordered to lie flat. “Me father came to the shop door and when he see one alone in the shop with a knife he start to scuffle with he and shouted for me mother to bring he blade.” As the scuffle continued a bandit was heard shouting, shoot he. “The fat big belly one with the silver gun came in the shop and he shoot me father straight by he heart and mommy start to cry as me father fall to the floor with blood coming out he back.” In fear, she said that she stopped peeping. The dead man's wife, Cheryl Bess, called Sister Vi, 40, recalling the incident said, “He (Fine Man) was closing the house windows when we hear me little daughter shouting for daddy. “He went to the door and see the two men in the shop.” She said that one of the bandits pulled him into the shop and a scuffle started. “He then holler, ‘Vi, bring me blade and when I look they de scuffling.” This was happening as the bandits were demanding money. “All two of us tell them that we ain't got no money and he snatch at me chains bursting one off.” She added that to prove that they had no money, her husband asked her to bring the shop-keeping book, but the bandits had no interest with the book. “And then they shoot he in he chest.” After shooting the man one of the bandits turned on her demanding money and announced that they would shoot her too. “I start to beg them for me life… We had over $62,000 to pay the installment on we car in the bedroom and so I gave it to them from de bedroom and they left on foot.” After the bandits left, one of the young men who was pushed into the shop, alerted the family that the bandits had left. The wife said that she ran around the corner to get help while her teenaged daughter tended to her father. “When I went to he and he rub my face, I keep calling he name but he ain't answer.” Two nearby youths ran to his aid and confirmed that he was alive. “They check he pulse and the vein by he neck.” By then the wife returned with a car and he was rushed to the hospital, but died on the way there. The ordeal lasted about 20 minutes. The wife is calling on the authorities to investigate the matter and bring her husband's killers to justice. Neighbours and family members described Phillip Bess as a peaceful, hardworking man, who had no problems with anyone. Prior to this incident the family managed the Sister Vi and Fine Man grocery shop and snackette for eight years without any robbery attempts. (Mondale Smith) Monday, November, 01, 2004