Peru: Canadian kills British tourist during drug ritual

[slimvictor]

LIMA, Peru — A 29-year-old Canadian allegedly stabbed to death a British tourist after the two drank a hallucinogenic brew at a spiritual retreat in the Peruvian Amazon.

Local authorities said the incident happened Wednesday night at the Phoenix Ayahuasca spiritual retreat near the town of Iquitos.

It’s not clear what led to the death of Unais Gomes, 25. But local police chief Normando Marquez said witnesses described a fight breaking out between Gomes and fellow tourist Andrew Freeman during which a knife was pulled against the Canadian. The same knife was then used by Freeman to kill Gomes, the chief said.

In a video, Freeman can be seen being taken away in custody by a police truck. He was later released but must remain in Peru while he is being investigated for homicide, said Martín Manrique from Iquitos’ prosecutors’ office.

cont at
https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...0dd9b4-a5e5-11e5-8318-bd8caed8c588_story.html

 

[slimvictor]

Witnesses told police the Canadian man, 29-year-old Joshua Andrew Freeman Stevens, killed the British man, Unais Gomes, 26, in self-defence after Gomes allegedly attacked him with a knife during an ayahuasca ceremony near the jungle city of Iquitos on Wednesday night, said Normando Marques, a police chief in the region.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Gomes apparently used a knife from the kitchen of the alternative health centre Phoenix Ayahuasca to attack Stevens. Stevens ended up killing Gomes with the same knife, stabbing him in the chest and stomach, he said.

Phoenix Ayahuasca did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Its Facebook page describes it as a safe place to “experience plant medicines and explore the true nature of the self”.

The health centre is run by Tracie Thornberry and Mark Thornberry.

Tracie Thornberry is an Australian who studied counselling at the University of Newcastle. She is currently away from the centre in New South Wales.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...lls-briton-ayahuasca-ceremony-peruvian-amazon

 

[slimvictor]

Cambridge University graduate killed in psychedelic ceremony in Peruvian Amazon

A neighbour of Mr Gomes told The Telegraph: “He was very spiritual, it was a very big part of his life and he was very dedicated to it. It really is very sad, he was such a kind person.”

Mr Gomes used to host a meditation group at his flat in St John’s Wood, the neighbour said.

On Friday friends paid tribute to Mr Gomes. Michael Stothard said: “This is terrible news. He was such a wonderful man and my first friend at Cambridge.”

Muhammad Billal Malik‎ said: "I met Izzy when we joined the graduate programme together at Citi. He was one of the funniest and liveliest characters out of our graduate cohort. Very sad to have lost you."

He graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2010 with a 2.1 in Economics, where he had was a member of the rowing team and the Cambridge Investment Club, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He went on to work at Goldman Sachs and then joined Citigroup on the competitive graduate programme.

He then worked at MVision, a private equity advisory firm based in Green Park and SAV Group, a property development company in Pall Mall.
Companies House records show that he briefly held a directorship at UFuture, but stood down in May of this year when the company was dissolved.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...chedelic-ceremony-in-the-Peruvian-Amazon.html

 

[CfZrx]

That looks like a scary place to trip.

 

[Foreigner]

I would really love to hear from experienced ayahuasca users why it's necessary to trip in such isolated, seedy environments?

 

[slimvictor]

^ i don't know if it's seedy - just the jungle, right? It's the people that can make it seedy.
And, people go to South American to use ayahuasca, but I don't totally get why they do it.
Sure, culture behind the drug and all that, but the drug works in my mind, and I don't feel the need to experience it within the culture of origin (which is not my culture anyway).
So, I have used ayahuasca twice while in my home country, and see no need to participate in this kind of drug tourism. .
But, to answer your question, people don't want to use it where it is illegal, maybe. Blame the drug war.
And, they want the cultural thing.

 

[bingey]

Shit I want to shoot heroin in Iran.

I want the "cultural" experience but minus the stoning ceremony.

 

[poledriver]

DEAD AFTER DRUG RITUAL: ‘The place I went to wasn’t right’

British tourist Unais Gomes was stabbed to death during drug ritual in Peru

IT IS a ritual that is meant to promote spiritual healing and cleansing. However drinking the potent ayahuasca tea can also be deadly.
The controversial potion claimed another life last week after a deadly brawl broke out between two tourists at an Australian-run retreat in Peru.

British tourist Unais Gomes was allegedly stabbed by his friend after taking the hallucinogenic drug during the Amazonian ritual at the Phoenix Ayahuasca jungle retreat.
According to reports, Gomes, a former London banker, sent worrying text messages to his girlfriend shortly before his death.
Gomes, who began his own start-up last year, ran away from the retreat, saying he had a “bad experience”.
The next day he sent more messages.

He texted “Crazy here as well” and “I don’t like it”, the Evening Standard reported.
“It’s just the place I went to didn’t feel right,” he added.

The next day he completely changed his mind telling his girlfriend [snipped at request], 24, that he was going back saying, “Now they have called an amazing shaman to clean up that place”.
Exact details of what took place remain unclear however it is believed Gomes may have attacked by a fellow Canadian traveller after taking the potion.

The Phoenix Ayahuasca retreat, near the Peruvian jungle city of Iquitos. Picture: AAP Image/Facebook, Phoenix Ayahuasca
The Phoenix Ayahuasca retreat, near the Peruvian jungle city of Iquitos. Picture: AAP Image/Facebook, Phoenix AyahuascaSource:AAP

Local police chief Normando Marquez said witnesses described a fight breaking out between the two, during which a knife was pulled against the Canadian.
The same knife was allegedly used by the Canadian to kill Gomes, the chief said, but charges against the Canadian have since been dropped.
The Australian owners of the retreat, brother and sister Mark and Tracie Thornberry, who were in Australia at the time of the incident, posted a statement on Facebook yesterday.
Ms Thornberry, who is a drug and alcohol counsellor, said the entire retreat had been left in shock.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by what happened at our centre,” she wrote. “I’m unable to make a detailed statement until I’m advised that the police have fully completed their investigation.
“I have been in Australia for the past two weeks and my brother is recovering from pneumonia and was released early from hospital to return to the centre.

“As you can imagine I am reliant on information coming to me from thousands of miles away in a jungle setting. I have full faith in our staff to act appropriately even in difficult situations. “Unfortunately their physical intervention could not prevent this tragedy. I have accounts of the events by the people present and cannot see how it could have been prevented had either Mark or I been there.
“The fatal moments, when a knife was used, happened so quickly. This is such a rare and unusual event that we are all stunned. Our deepest condolences go to the families of all concerned.”

Cont -

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/he...u/news-story/be937dea4ed304b1ebbec7747e4c7317

 

[SKL]

...because it is totally a safe and good idea to go into an unfamiliar environment and take powerful drugs as administered by some soi disant "shaman." Surprised this sort of thing doesn't happen more often, TBH.

 

[Product]

well the story is sad. i do think that he shouldnt have went somewhere like that randomly because well everyone knows its dangerous.. also not very up to date on the people who do these rituals and i guess its time for me to start looking into it haha