[UPDATED] PENSIONER DEAD IN A BARREL

EXACTLY one week after she was last seen, the body of 71-year-old retired nurse Hermina Doughty was found stuffed in a blue barrel in Tacarigua.

Police said Doughty’s decomposing body was found around 2.30 pm yesterday, down an incline off St Michael’s Road. Fire officers helped to recover the body. According to residents, the blue barrel was seen since last Monday and some of them were planning to investigate its contents but the police beat them to it.

Residents said during the morning, police vehicles were “up and down the road” and only found the body after bringing a handyman who worked for Doughty to the scene. He was arrested driving her Nissan Wingroad, on Friday night, police said. Her car was spotted in Valencia days ago but when officers went to the area they found nothing. Doughty was last seen driving along Dinsley Road, heading to the Eastern Main Road, in Tacarigua. After she failed to attend a family mass, last Sunday morning, at Holy Trinity RC Church, Arouca, and then a group meeting the following day, relatives became concerned and contacted the police.

Police said they saw what appeared to be stab wounds her body but will await the autopsy report which will be done tomorrow. Doughty is the sister of Independent Senator Hazel Thompson-Ahye. Relatives were informed of about the discovery of her body through social media.

Doughty’s daughter, Dionne, told Newsday on Friday that contrary to earlier reports, her mother was not last seen buying Carifesta tickets and said her last known location was at her Trincity home, last Saturday afternoon. Doughty, a diabetic also had high blood pressure, her relatives said.

Thompson-Ahye, a consistent letter to the editor writer, last penned a letter earlier this month calling for restorative justice. “All indigenous societies practised restorative justice before colonisation. Are we serious about transforming our punitive, retributive justice system from one which breeds more criminals than rehabilitates convicts?” she wrote in a letter published in Newsday on August 9, adding that prison should be a last resort for criminals and not a first call.

Relatives told Sunday Newsday that Doughty was loved by all and worked at various health institutions throughout the East-West Corridor.

Pensioners Killed

There have been several homicides in which pensioners were the victims within the past year. In May, 74-year-old Jemma Abass was found murdered at her Mucurapo Road, St James. Her relatives went to check on her, on May 20, and found her bleeding with a pillowcase over her head. They called the police and reported that Abass’ television and Toyota Corolla car were missing.

In July, Elliot Veerasammy, 62, was shot dead at his Williams Street, Aranguez home along with his 32-year-old daughter Sarah Sarah Veerasammy. Police said a man stormed the house, killed them and left.

In August, last year, Monica Ruiz, 62, died after she was bound and gagged at her Sherwood Drive, Arima home. The mother of four, who had trouble moving around and needed the assistance of others, was found dead one day after she was last seen alive by neighbours. Relatives who came to visit her found her body.

Still Missing

The disappearance of Doughty is reminiscent of miss­ing lec­tur­er Glen­da Charles-Har­ris, 78, who has not been seen since July 27, 2015. She was last seen at the Tru Valu Su­per­mar­ket, Di­a­mond Vale, Diego Mar­tin, around 5.30 pm. Charles-Harris was the head of the en­vi­ron­men­tal stud­ies de­part­ment at the Col­lege of Sci­ence, Tech­nol­o­gy and Ap­plied Arts of TT.

This story was originally published with the title "Missing pensioner found dead" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Missing pensioner Hermina Doughty, 71, has been found dead today at St Michael's Road, Tacarigua.

Police said a man who was arrested on Friday night is assisting them with their investigations.

Doughty's daughter, Dionne Doughty, told Newsday on Friday that contrary to earlier reports, her mother was not last seen buying Carifesta tickets and said her last known location was at her Trincity home last Saturday afternoon.

Police said her car was spotted in Valencia days ago but when officers went to the area they found nothing. Doughty is a diabetic and has high blood pressure. Her relatives said she was not known to be a wanderer.

Police are currently on the scene. We will update this story as more information becomes available.