DEADLY ‘HORN’

A CASE of "horn" for "horn" ending in bloody death.

This is what relatives of a policeman, who shot dead his common-law wife before turning the gun on himself yesterday, are saying led to the murder/suicide which has left a two-year-old girl without a mother and father.

Constable Michael Youksee, who was last based at Tunapuna police station, had separated from his common-law wife WPC Racquel Kipps, while they were undergoing counselling. Kipps was last based at St Joseph police station as clerk in the office of Northern Division Snr Supt Michael Daniel.

During their separation, Kipps would bring her daughter to the Spring Valley, Mt Dor Road, Champs Fleurs home of Youksee so the child could spend the day with her father. Youksee had another child from a previous relationship, a 17-year-old girl who lived with him.

Police reported that at 11 am yesterday, Youksee told his two-year-old daughter to go and play with her 17-year-old step-sister in the yard. He then took Kipps into his bedroom inside the house. An argument is believed to have ensued, police said, and shots were fired.

The two children rushed into the house to find both Kipps and Youksee on the floor in the bedroom bleeding from gunshot wounds. A report was made to police and when officers arrived, Kipps was already dead and Youksee who had a weak pulse, was taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope where he died at 2 pm.

A female relative of Youksee related the sad tale of infidelity (known in Trini parlance as a "horn") which led to the tragedy.

According to the woman, who asked not to be named, she knew that Youksee and Kipps were going through rough times in their relationship. Kipps moved out of Youksee's home although they both agreed to attend counselling together to try and repair the relationship.

The relative said the counselling appeared to be going well so much so that the couple had agreed to get married in December. However, the relative added, Youksee found himself with another woman and when Kipps learnt of this "horn", she took revenge by "horning" Youksee.

The relative said when Youksee found out that he had been "horned", he flew into a rage which turned into a deep state of depression. She believes this set the stage for yesterday's tragic murder/suicide.

When Newsday visited the scene at 1 pm, senior police officers were speaking with neighbours and Youksee's relatives, one of whom lived on the top floor of his house.

After the district medical officer pronounced Kipps dead at the scene, he had to rush off as word came of a double murder in Pinto Road, Arima.

When contacted for comment, all Police Commissioner Gary Griffith would say was: "This is an ongoing police investigation and I do not wish to comment at this time." This was echoed by head of the Police Service Social and Welfare Association Insp Michael Seales when Newsday contacted him for a comment.

A gun, which was issued to Youksee, was found at the scene of the murder/suicide and was seized by investigators. Autopsies are expected to be done today at the Forensic Science Centre in St James. Police sources said that Youksee's two traumatised daughters are in the custody of relatives and arrangements are underway for them to receive counselling.

(
Additional reporting by JOAN RAMPERSAD)