SHOT & DUMPED

THE body found floating in the Gulf of Paria near the Brighton Port in La Brea on Easter Monday has been positively identified as that of Chaitram Jagdeo, 31, from Trainline Road. Jagdeo did not drown, however. He was shot, multiple times.

After the body was positively identified by loved ones on Monday evening, an autopsy was done yesterday at the Forensic Science Centre (FSC) in St James which confirmed cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds.

At about 9 am on Monday workers at the port spotted the body floating and alerted the Coast Guard. It was at first suspected that the body could have been then of two men missing after their boat capsized in rough waters nine days ago. But relatives of the two missing men confirmed that the body was not that of their loved ones.

Jagdeo's relatives who were at the centre yesterday, said that he had been reported missing two days before his body was found in the sea. “His girlfriend came to us on Saturday and then on Sunday afternoon asking for him. After that I got a call that his body was seen in the water,” said Jairam's mother who did not want to give her name.

Jairam was one of 12 bodies kept on ice at the centre awaiting autopsy after a particularly bloody Easter weekend. In addition to the 11 murders, there was one road fatality. The centre's waiting room was packed with relatives of the 11 murder victims.

The long Easter weekend's murder toll rose from nine to 11 on Monday with the murders of Kevin Bain in St James and Daniel Thomas in Laventille. Another man, identified as Antonio King, lost his life on the road in an accident.

Police reported that Bain of Upper Dundonald Hill, St James was sitting on a culvert on the street near his home shortly before midnight when a white car pulled up in front of him and someone got out and shot him several times.

Hours earlier, at about 10.30 pm, residents of Eastern Quarry in Laventille heard gunshots and called the police, who later found Daniel Thomas shot several times and lying in a pool of blood on the road. He was taken to Port of Spain General Hospital, where he died.

Antonio King, a 22-year-old Aranguez man, was reportedly driving along the Uriah Butler Highway when it is believed that he fell asleep at the wheel and his car veered off the road and slammed into an electricity pole. He died at the scene.

'WE FORGIVE THE KILLER'

While several relatives declined comment, those of Atiya Haynes said they forgave the gunmen who claimed her life along with two others on Duncan Street on Gloria Saturday.

“He does not know what he do (sic),” said the relative “God forgives people, so we have to as well. So we will forgive him, but we will never forget.”

Relatives described Atiya, a mother of two, as a loving and hard-working woman. They said she was a labourer. A relative added that with her death, her eldest daughter was made an orphan, as her father, Joel Patino was killed years ago.

According to reports Haynes was with Javon Assing, Akeem Grant and Israel Cox on Queen and Nelson Streets, when at around 6.46 pm on Saturday a car pulled up and an occupant shot at the crowd. All four were shot in the head. Haynes, Assing and Cox all died as a result. Grant is said to be in a critical condition at hospital.

Victim Support Unit officer Samantha Griffith, who was at the centre giving emotional and technical support to relatives of victims said she admired how relatives came together to support each other as they mourn.

“The FSC is a place with a lot of sad situations,” said Griffith, “with families coming out of trauma for different reasons, I appreciated how the families banded together. Families who knew each other and so on supported each other through the process,”

Griffith said all 12 families who were at the FSC got assistance from the Victim Support Unit. “We take their information and we will defer it to the various divisions, then offer the families counselling through the justice system and give them updates on their cases. We act like the medium between the victims’ families and the police.”

EASTER WEEKEND MURDERS

* Javon Assing, killed in a drive-by shooting in Port of Spain on Saturday.

* Atiya Haynes, killed in a drive-by shooting in Port of Spain on Saturday.

* Israel Cox, died from injuries sustained in a drive-by shooting in Port of Spain on Saturday.

* Moriba Superville, 28, killed on the Western Main Road in Carenage on Saturday.

* Fabian Thomas, shot dead in Santa Cruz on Sunday.

* Khelon "Kokey" Mc Leod, shot and killed in La Horquetta on Sunday.

* Patrick Aaron, found dead in La Horquetta on Sunday

* Unidentified man shot dead on Upper Pashley Street, Laventille on Monday.

* Unidentified woman shot dead on Upper Pashley Street Laventille on Monday.

* Kevin Bain shot dead near his home in St James on Monday.

* Daniel Thomas fatally shot in Laventille on Monday.