San Juan barber shot dead

KAREECE NELSON with additional reporting by Julien Neaves

There was an outpouring of condolences on social media following the murder of a San Juan barber in Tobago, the island’s 11th for the year.

According to police, Carmona, 28, was discovered slumped with bullet wounds about the body in the front seat of a white Mitsubishi Lancer shortly after 1.45 am yesterday at Windward Road, Blenheim, Mt St George by police led by head of the Tobago Division Snr Supt Joanne Archie. The car was parked and had been left running with the lights on. It was in the vicinity of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Institute and leading to the Prime Minister’s residence.

Carmona resided in Mason Hall, Tobago however he was originally a resident of San Juan, Trinidad.

He was formerly a barber at Signature Cuts but was fired from his job five months ago. Sunday Newsday spoke to a barber at the salon who stated that the news came as a shock to everyone.

Police investigations are continuing into this latest murder which comes a mere four days after the death of Rondell ‘Barry’ Campbell of Mason Hall; the 10th murder on the island.

Carmona, who attended Success Laventille Composite School, received many messages of condolence on his Facebook page, with his friends citing disbelief. He was described as a joyful, funny and loving person.

“Rest in peace my friend. Dem youth men out here outta timing. Yuh never deserve to die like dat,” one friend wrote.

“Nah boy Ramos Carmona boy what really going on here boy. This one hurt me boy RIP my friend,” another friend wrote.

“Go miss them cuts and all the sh-- you used to talk,” a third person wrote.

Investigations are continuing.

The murder rate in Tobago is almost three times what it was in 2016 when four murders were recorded. There were seven murders in 2015, eight in 2014 and four in 2013.