Havana/Almost six years after murdering his wife, Tara Krishnaran, and his daughter, Larissa Singh, in Guyana, Cuban Yoel Rodríguez Barrientos pleaded guilty to both femicides and was sentenced this Thursday to two life sentences.
Rodríguez appeared before Judge Nicola Pierre, of the Demerara High Court, where he confessed that on December 25, 2020, he had an argument with Krishnaran while both were at his home, located on Princess Street, Lodge.
Pierre indicated that, despite the admission of guilt, the accused “may apply for parole after serving 35 years for the murder of Krishnaran and 40 years for the murder of Singh.” In addition, the time spent in prison will be deducted from the sentences and, during his confinement, he must participate in anger management and control programs.
The local media Sheriff News Networkwhich had access to the hearing, reported that “during the confrontation, Rodríguez repeatedly hit Krishnaran in the head with a hammer, leaving her with catastrophic injuries.”
According to the accused’s confession, when Larissa Singh entered the room and witnessed the attack on her mother, the man attacked her with a knife, cut her throat and later also hit her with a hammer.
“The autopsy established that the two victims suffered blunt trauma to the head,” said Alas Tensas.
After the double feminicide, Rodríguez Barrientos fled the scene. The authorities began a search operation that allowed him to be located in Amelia’s Ward, in Linden, Region 10, where he was finally arrested.
“The autopsy established that the two victims suffered blunt force trauma to the head,” said Alas Tensas.
Likewise, the publication specified that “Tara Krishnaran and Larissa Singh were Guyanese citizens, so this case is not part of the record of femicides of Cuban women outside the country.”
The Alas Tensas Gender Observatory (Ogat) and the Yo Sí Te Creo platform in Cuba documented 40 femicides of Cuban women outside Cuba between 2023 and 2025: 10 cases in 2023, 18 in 2024 and 12 in 2025.
El Ogat recalled that among the cases registered in 2025 is that of Dabely Morales, which occurred on May 23 in Georgetown, Guyana. According to the report from both observatories, the Cuban woman was allegedly murdered by her stepfather inside her home, while her mother suffered serious injuries.
