WHO EH DEAD, BADLY WOUNDED

Murder and mayhem ran rampant over the past 48 hours, as eight people were either seriously injured or killed during several separate incidents. Over the past two days, the nude body of a woman was found in Valencia, four men were shot in San Juan, leaving one dead, and three in a critical condition. An Enterprise man was shot dead while attempting to rob a casino in Chaguanas and two teenagers were shot and wounded in Malabar.

VALENCIA WOMAN RAPED, STRANGLED

Pathologist Valeri Alexandrov yesterday confirmed that Christiana Lewis, the 59-year-old woman whose body was found in a wooden shack in Valencia was raped and strangled.

Reports say that the woman, a mother of three, was discovered by her daughter at about 5 pm on Monday.

When her body was discovered, she was nude, and her hands were bound with rope.

An autopsy confirmed that the woman had been strangled to death, and the killer used her dress which, according to sources, was found wrapped around her neck

It was also confirmed that the woman had been sexually assaulted before she was killed. Swabs for organic material was taken and sent to a lab for DNA testing.

Newsday was told that the last time she was seen alive was by one of her children, on Saturday last. It was determined in the autopsy that Lewis may have been killed on Sunday.

THREE WOUNDED, ONE DEAD IN SAN JUAN

Patrons at a bar on a street off Sunshine Avenue, San Juan, had to duck and cover while four men were shot, minutes after midnight yesterday.

One of the men, 20-year-old Lawrence Kareem Sydney of Bagatelle Extension, Sunshine Avenue, San Juan, did not survive the incident. He was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

According to reports, Sydney was liming among a group of people at the bar when they were approached by a group of armed assailants, who, without warning opened fire on them.

Four men, including Sydney were shot before the gunmen escaped the scene.

Relatives at the Forensic Science Centre in St James told reporters yesterday that Sydney’s killing was “unjust” and they believed that he was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

“He liked to make people laugh. He was loving, humble and helpful. He never did anything to anyone. The most he would do is drink and play cards.” said a relative who did not want to be named.

Newsday went to the area where the shooting occurred, and patrons at the bar said that they would have never expected anyone to be attacked in such a manner at the bar.

“That was such a surprise eh, (sic)” said one patron, who was at the bar during the shooting. “The whole thing happened so fast. I just remember that I turned my back and all I heard was Pow! Pow! Pow! I ran and hid for cover, other people scattered and ran off, a next man fell to the ground and played dead. Next thing you know the men run off”

An autopsy done at Forensics confirmed that Sydney died from multiple gunshot wounds. He was shot six times.

WHO IS THE BAD MAN HERE?

Two people: a 15-year-old boy and a 21-year-old woman, were also shot yesterday afternoon in a yard in Malabar. Newsday was told that the two people, are now at the Arima District Hospital being treated for gunshot wounds. Police sources have decided to withhold the two victims’ names, for their protection.

According to police, the two victims were standing in a yard on Daniel Trace at about 3.50 pm, when a gunman, said to be five feet tall and of African descent, entered the yard with a gun in his hand.

The gunman challenged the two, saying “Who is the bad man here?” before pointing his firearm and shooting at the two victims.

The 15-year-old victim was shot in the left hand, while the 21-year-old victim was shot in the neck. Police and emergency services were called shortly after the shooting and they were both hospitalised.

Police are now trying to find a motive behind the shooting. Cpl Ramdeen of the Malabar Police is investigating.

GUARD KILLS WOULD-BE BANDIT IN CHAGUANAS

Pathologist Valeri Alexandrov confirmed that Vishnu Dowlath an Enterprise man who was shot dead while attempting to rob a casino in Chaguanas, died from multiple gunshot wounds.

Newsday was told that the man was shot three times in the upper body.

According to reports, Dowlath and another man staged a robbery at a Casino at Tobago Road, Chaguanas, at about 3 pm.

However, as they were trying to escape, a security guard challenged them, and there was an exchange of gunfire. Dowlath was shot and he slumped to the ground, dead, while his accomplice fled the scene.

Police and emergency services were alerted and officers of the Chaguanas CID and Homicide Region 3 responded.