[UPDATED] Siparia woman, 48, bludgeoned to death with hammer

The family of Leeann Babb, 48, is baffled over her gruesome murder, considering people know her to be a friendly person with no enemies.

The mother of one and grandmother of one was found dead on Friday night at a house at Quinam Road, Siparia. Relatives said she had been house sitting since February and was from Lily Trace, also in Siparia.

Police said her body was wrapped in a sheet with a pillow over her head on a bed in a bedroom.

The police found a bloody hammer on the bed, leading investigators to believe she was bludgeoned to death. They also found a cutlass on the ground.

One of Babb’s male friends, an Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) worker, 41, told Siparia police that he last saw her alive on Wednesday at around 9.30 pm at the house. The property is in an isolated area surrounded by fruit trees.

Babb’s sister, Joanne Babb, said she usually sends prayers via WhatsApp to the family’s group chat. Babb did not send any on Thursday and Friday.

"People started calling and got no response. That is when everyone realised that something was wrong. She was friendly, brave, and outspoken. She had back problems and did not do strenuous work," Joanne said at the house on Saturday.

The bereaved woman said she did not have information about what happened.

Joanne said several of Babb’s items, like a handbag and jewellery, were missing.

Relatives found Alpha, her pet dog who she treated as her child, at the side of the house.

The dog usually stays inside the house with her.

Babb’s friend told police that he visited her on Thursday, but the front gate and house were locked.

He reported that he called out to her several times and called her cellphone but got no answer.

He left and returned Friday evening, and the gates were still locked. He went to the back and saw the burglar-proof on a window pried open and got a bad smell from the house.

He called the woman’s son, 29, and they went to report it to the Siparia police.

The police entered the house by breaking the glass of the front door.

They do not believe the killer/s entered the house through the window as it was too small.

No one was arrested, and the police do not have a motive.

ASP Ramdeo and other South Western Division police, as well as Insp Jones, Sgt Bridgemohan, and other Homicide Bureau Region III police, visited the scene.

This story was originally published with the title "Siparia woman, Point Fortin man murdered" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

A woman and a man were murdered in separate incidents in the South Western Division on Friday night.

Dead are Leanne Barbs, of Quinam Road in Siparia, and Curtis "Fighter" Green, 52, of Point Ligoure in Point Fortin.

A report said Barbs was beaten with a hammer in the house where she lived alone. Someone went to visit her and found her body at about 8 pm.

No one was arrested, and the police do not have a motive.

ASP Ramdeo and other South Western Division police as well as Insp Jones, Sgt Bridgemohan and other Homicide Bureau Region III police, visited the scene.

About an hour earlier, Green and two other men had an altercation on the road near the old service station near Warden Road, Point Fortin. He was stabbed with a broken glass bottle and died.

No one was arrested.

Homicide Bureau Region III police are investigating.