Man jailed for life after fatally stabbing girlfriend 25 times as she slept

A Sophia man who launched a vicious knife attack on his sleeping girlfriend in 2023 was ordered to spend the rest of his life behind bars on Friday. The sentence was handed down by Justice Priscilla Chandra-Hanif at the Demerara High Court, who ruled that the sheer savagery of the killing left no room for leniency.

Twenty-five-year-old Linden Benjamin, of Sophia, had earlier pleaded guilty to killing 31-year-old Lisa George, who he stabbed 25 times while she lay in bed beside her two children at their C Field, Sophia, home. The murder occurred on April 26, 2023. Benjamin admitted to the crime on September 16, and returned to court on Friday for his fate to be revealed.

During the sentencing hearing, State Counsel Darin Chan and Latifa Elliot described the attack as one of staggering brutality. They reminded the court that the victim was asleep and utterly defenceless when Benjamin armed himself with two knives and unleashed the fatal blows.

The prosecutors highlighted that “a dangerous and deadly weapon was used in the commission of the offence, to wit, a knife,” and noted that Benjamin displayed “absolutely no remorse.”

Chan told the court the murder fit into a troubling pattern of domestic violence devastating families across the country, stressing, “Too frequently these incidents are happening; we have a duty to protect women in society.” He urged Justice Chandra-Hanif to impose a life sentence, saying the extreme nature of the case demanded the harshest possible punishment.

“Your Honour, justice must speak loudly today. It must reach every home, every community, and every man who believes that a woman’s life is his to threaten, his to injure, or his to take. This sentence must say to all men that the women of this country are entitled to safety, dignity, and life, and that the courts will protect that right without hesitation,” Chan pleaded in a powerful address.

In response, defence attorney Buelah Williams asked the court to consider imposing a lesser sentence, saying her client’s mother was deeply affected and adding that imprisonment should also allow for “betterment and rehabilitation”.
Justice Chandra-Hanif, however, was unmoved. She said the court was troubled by Benjamin’s complete absence of remorse and the “persistent and merciless” nature of the violence.

“He should have walked away… There is no remorse; he needs to be held accountable for his actions,” she said, before delivering a life sentence. Benjamin will only become eligible for parole after serving 30 years, minus the time he has already spent on remand.
Inside the courtroom, grief filled the air as members of George’s family spoke about their loss. Her sister, Lauren George, fought through tears as she said, “Lisa was my rock. She did not deserve to die like that. I hope he spends life in prison.”

George’s teenage son, who witnessed his mother’s murder, told the court, “My mother was very loving and caring. I was in shock and fearful for my life. The incident keeps replaying in my head. When it comes to Christmas and birthdays, there is always an empty space in my heart.”

Statements from George’s parents were also read, expressing the same heartbreak and ongoing trauma.

Benjamin himself addressed the court afterward, offering a brief statement in which he attempted to justify his actions. Appearing to show no genuine remorse, he said, “I wasn’t a good citizen. I wouldn’t disrespect her or her relatives. I used to be taken advantage of; I used to get beat. I never take anything to beat or hurt her. I apologise.”
According to the prosecution’s case, the fatal attack unfolded between 02:00h and 02:30h.

Benjamin had earlier demanded that George “open her phone”, a request she refused. She later went to bed with her children, and Benjamin joined them shortly after.

In the “stillness of the early morning hours”, prosecutors described, he armed himself with two knives and began stabbing her repeatedly as she slept. After inflicting twenty-five wounds, he made no effort to get help. When he attempted to leave the bedroom, he was confronted by the victim’s father, Colin George, who prevented his escape until Police arrived.

Benjamin was arrested shortly afterward and charged with the capital offence.
The life sentence now imposed closes a painful chapter for George’s family, who said they continue to live with the emotional scars of witnessing a mother and daughter taken in such a horrific manner.