[UPDATED] V’ZUELAN WOMAN SHOT DEAD

VENEZUELAN mother Evelyn Mata Rojas was celebrating after her relatives had successfully completed the registration process for a one year amnesty to work in TT when tragedy stuck yesterday.

She was shot and killed during a barbecue lime at her Freeport home by a Venezuelan man whom she had shared a relationship with.

The incident occurred at Ojar Maharaj Extension, Waterloo Road. Investigators said the woman was fatally shot after a heated argument.

Up to late yesterday, the man, police said was in hiding. A manhunt has been launched by police and all stations have been alerted.

According to police, at about 3 am, neighbours heard the woman screaming and moments later heard gunshots. Neighbours told police they then saw a man running from the house with his hands covered in blood.

Rojas, 40, was found in blood in the yard of the apartment. Police said she was shot to her chest and back. A district medical officer pronounced the woman dead and ordered her body to be taken to the Forensic Science Centre, St James for an autopsy on Monday.

Speaking to Sunday Newsday at the apartment, landlord Jeffery Dyett said the Venezuelan couple had rented the apartment for a month. “I had a vacant apartment and they wanted a place to stay and I assisted them, and to wake up to this. He killed the woman. This is madness. This is really hurting me because I did not even know this man had a gun in my place. I will never tolerate such,” he said.

Rojas had been living in Trinidad for the past five years after fleeing her homeland.
“She told me so many sorrowful stories about Venezuela. And she was so happy when her family had registered this week. She told me it felt good to have her family with her and she wanted to celebrate.”

Dyett said Rojas had asked for his permission to host a barbecue lime in the yard behind the apartment building. And he agreed. “I told her it was not a problem. I was happy for her. She told me that she was making arrangement to send for her parents and she would have been happy. This is really sad what happened.”

Venezuelans, he said, also attended the lime. Eyewitnesses told police that a Trinidadian man whom Rojas had shared a previous relationship with came to the lime. And when the mother of one was seen speaking with him she was confronted by the Venezuelan man. A heated argument between Rojas and the Venezuelan began after the Trinidadian left. An eyewitness told police the Venezuelan man was jealous when he saw Rojas speaking to her ex-boyfriend.

During the argument, he pulled out a gun from his pocket, according to the eyewitness. Rojas attempted to run but was shot to her back. When she fell to the ground her attacker then shot her to the chest. She died at the scene.

Yesterday evening, Rojas’ friends and relatives arrived at the apartment to pack her belongings. Some of them were seen crying as they carried bags with clothing into a car.

Last month, another Venezuelan woman was killed in Princes Town. On May 5, Katherine Diaz was stabbed to death in an apartment where she was staying. Her body was found on a couch in the living room. Diaz, 26, was organically from Tucupita, the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Delta Amacuro.

Her Venezuelan husband and the father of her three children, Moya Guerra, has since been charged and has appeared before a Princes magistrate. Guerra’s case was adjourned to June 12.

This story was originally published with the title "Venezuelan woman shot dead in Freeport" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.


A Venezuelan woman was shot and killed at her home in Freeport this morning.

The victim is Evelyn Mata Rojas, 40, of Ojar Maharaj Extension, Waterloo Road.

According to police, at about 3 am, neighbours heard the woman screaming and moments later heard gunshots. Neighbours told police they then saw a man running from the house with his hands covered in blood.

Rojas was found in blood in the living room. Police said she was shot to her chest. A district medical officer pronounced the woman dead and ordered her body be taken to the Forensic Science Centre, St James for an autopsy on Monday.

Last month, another Venezuelan woman was killed in Princes Town.

On May 5, Katherine Diaz was stabbed to death in an apartment where she was staying. Her body was found on a couch in the living room.

Diaz, 26, was organically from Tucupita, the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Delta Amacuro.

Her Venezuelan husband and the father of her three children, Moya Guerra, has since been charged and has appeared before a Princes magistrate. Guerra's case was adjourned to June 12.

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"[UPDATED] V’ZUELAN WOMAN SHOT DEAD"

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