Killed after argument

Police are working on the theory that Nicholas Hoyte, a labourer whose decomposing body was found on Saturday, was killed by someone with whom he had a falling-out. They confirmed to Newsday yesterday that Hoyte, 28, was known to police and had been suspected in cases of robbery.

Relatives awaiting the results of an autopsy at the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday were clueless as to why he was killed.

They believe he was robbed because when they last saw him, he was wearing two thick gold chains which were missing when his body was found.

“We spoke like normal the last time I saw him,” said his younger brother Randy Hoyte. “We spoke for a short while and he asked me for a cigarette. He never complained of anyone threatening him or anything, but when he left on Thursday he had two gold chains on. He was a cool, quiet fella.”

At about 11.30 pm on Saturday, Central Division police were told a body with gunshot wounds had been found on Petersfield Road.

Hoyte was the father of a five-year-old girl.