Bereaved dog refuses to look at owner

A GRIEVING dog refused to look at the body of its owner, 34-year-old murder victim Jesse Jacob, on Thursday during the funeral at the family's home in St John's Village, San Fernando.

Relatives considered Jacob's pet dog Mama to be his only "child" because the two were inseparable.

"Mama did not want to look at the body. Normally as soon as she sees him, she would start to lick him, but she did not even want to look in the coffin. We lifted her, but she kept turning her head away," a relative told Newsday.

Shortly after 8 pm on Sunday, gunmen opened fire at Jacob, a labourer and fisherman, at the corner of Cipero Road and Martin Prime Road where he was driving a car. He died in the driver's seat and his girlfriend Sapphire Jugoon, 19, who was in the front passenger seat, was hit three times in the left leg.

Although she was treated and discharged from the San Fernando General Hospital, doctors did not remove bullets in her, fearful that surgery would cause nerve damage or require amputation.

A third occupant, a male friend who was in the back seat, escaped unharmed.

On Thursday, Jacob was cremated in San Fernando after the funeral at the family's home at Martin Prime Road.

Jacob’s relative, who requested anonymity, said: "Since the shooting, she (the dog) has been very sad. Mama is not as playful as she normally is. Sapphire is recovering, but bullets are still inside her. This is sad for everyone."

Residents reported hearing about ten gunshots the night of the killing. When the police arrived, Jacob had already died, and the gunmen were gone.

Jacob and Jugoon, who were on their way to drop off the friend at his home at Princes Town, had considered taking other relatives including children for the drive. The children opted not to go because two nights before the killing, residents said they saw two strange men lurking around the house.

Relatives later saw muddy footprints on the steps and near the front door and became frightened. They believe the footprints may be those of the killers.

No one has been arrested and police from the Homicide Bureau Region III and Ste Madeleine are investigating.