Murders 100, 101 recorded

TWO men were killed between Monday night and yesterday morning, sending the murder toll for the year to 101.

The first victim, Daniel Villafana, died at hospital minutes after being shot as he was leaving his workplace at the Kiss Baking Company in Chaguanas on Monday. The second, Andre “Fats” Douglas, was found dead in a car in Petit Valley yesterday morning.

The first incident happened at 11.30 pm when Villafana and another man were leaving the baking company, after lodging funds from the day’s sales. They were approached by a gunman and started to run. The gunman gave chase and shots were fired.

Villafana was taken to the Chaguanas Health Centre where he died while being treated. At the Forensic Science Centre yesterday, relatives told Newsday Villafana was accused of a murder which happened last year in Sangre Grande. They blamed Villafana’s murder on gangsters seeking revenge.

“They blamed him and another fella for that killing last year. Someone killed a man in the middle of Grande,” said a relative. “But he didn’t do it. Since them boys join up with them Muslim gangsters, all kinds of killing happening in Grande,” the relative added.

Relatives of Douglas, murder victim No 101, believe he was killed by someone he knew. Douglas, 30, was found dead on Morne Coco Road. Newsday understands gunshots were heard at about 6 am yesterday, in an area known as Second Springs, and residents found Douglas in the driver’s seat of a white Nissan Tiida.

Relatives described Douglas as a well-known, friendly and family-oriented man. “Everyone knew him,” said his widow. “If he were to drive down the street right now, someone is bound to hail him out. He worked as a hired driver and did everything for his daughter.”

Newsday was told Douglas was planning to keep his seven-year-old daughter home from school yesterday and spend the day with her and his wife.

“We were not planning to send her to school because she is asthmatic and the school was having sports day training and there is a lot of Sahara dust around. So she woke up at about 9 am. When I asked her if her father was home, she said no.

“I thought it was strange but then I remembered that his neighbour is also his aunt and sometimes he would drop her in Las Cuevas.

Moments after I was told that they found him dead.” For the same period last year, the murder toll stood at 123.