Relatives, friends pay last respects to shooting victim Jomol Modeste

MONIQUE Hamilton was overwhelmed with grief and anger as she gazed at the body of her nine-year-old son Jomol.

He lay in a pristine white casket, with a gold paper crown on his head, at her family's home in Waterloo on Friday.

Jomol was killed in a drive-by shooting at the Africa Recreation Grounds on October 15.

A police report said at around 8.20 pm on October 15, several shots were fired from a white panel van near the basketball court at the grounds, in Enterprise.

Jomol was struck in the back by a bullet, and was taken to the Chaguanas Health Centre, where he died while being treated.

There were originally plans for a viewing of Jomol's body at Carapichaima RC Primary School, where he was a student, but Newsday understands those plans were scrapped after a relative expressed a wish for no media to be at the school.

Other relatives, who live at Enterprise Street, Chaguanas, said they wanted to view Jomol's body in private, without the media there.

Several people waited outside the home of Jomol's maternal grandmother Rosanne Ramdial-Hamilton for his body to arrive. When it did, around 12.40 pm, several people screamed and started crying. Jomol's casket was placed under a tent outside the house. On top of the casket was a wreath with a silver football with Jomol's name on it, to reflect his love for the game.

Hamilton had to be held up physically by relatives as she wept and screamed: "Jomol! Jomol! Why? Why? Oh, God. Jomol! Jomol!"

On her Facebook page on October 16, Hamilton posted: "Allyuh jus take my heart and soul they I have nothing left in me anymore seeing my son last night trying to wake up is like I died too.

"Why allyuh take him from us, he was jus ah innocent child, a baby, he ain't (do) allyuh nothing. Oh gosh fudgie, my child, get up please baby."

Many who responsed to this post expressed shock, anger and outrage over Jomol's murder.

Ramdial-Hamilton had to appeal for calm several times as people tried to view Jomol's body. "We will have a viewing."

She reminded them that they only had a short time with Jomol before his body was taken to the home of other relatives in Enterprise and later to Londgenville for burial.

Ramdial-Hamilton delivered a brief eulogy of her grandson without any prepared speech, straight from her heart.

"His mother and father are Monique Hamilton and Joel Modeste. He was born right here in my little board house, humble as ever."

"We really loved him. I thought I would have bawled today and they would have had to put me in an ambulance."

Other people praised Ramdial-Hamilton for her composure. She attributed this to her steadfast belief in God.

Looking at Jomol's body, Ramdial-Hamilton said, "We will always love you fudgie."

Students and teachers from Carapichaima RC School were also at the house to pay their last respects.

One of Jomol's teachers, who did not give her name, told mourners, "He always had a smile on his face. He was always helping. He was always sharing."

She said Jomol never had any bad days at school and had nothing to do with the situation which led to his death.

"Every day was a happy day for him."

She added, "Jomol is going directly where he's supposed to go with God and the class will miss him."

Principal Thomas Metivier said, "To the parents who are here: please take care of the younger ones, because this is our future."

Looking at Jomol's body, Metivier added, "We love you, Jomol. We are going to miss you, boy."

A neighbour who identified herself as "Brenda" said she would often see Jomol playing outside Ramdial-Hamilton's yard.

She remembered seeing Jomol a week ago and telling him, "You're growing up good."

Brenda added that the news of his death came as a shock and many people in the community are still in disbelief.

Hymns and songs which Jomol liked were played before his casket was put back in the hearse for its journey to Enterprise and Longdenville. The hearse was accompanied by a police vehicle.

In a statement on October 16, acting Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher sent condolences to Jomol's familyand promised no stone would be left unturned in bringing his killers to justice.

“Over the years the Police Service has invested resources in the Enterprise area and will continue to work and partner with members of the community," she said in the release.

Christopher promised Jomol's family wouldreceive support from the police service's Victims and Witness Support Unit

Hours after the killing, police arrested four men for questioning. Three were released without charge. One man, Antonio Governor, was charged with possession of a 5.56 round of ammunition and granted $150,000 bail.

The other three were released after their attorney, Blaine Sobrian, filed a writ of habeas corpus.

While police believe Jomol's killing was unintentional, they suspect the murders of two men days later were connected to his death. The men were killed while on their way to meet with Sobrian in relation to the four men who had been held and later released.

Police said they received information of a shooting at Freedom Street, Enterprise around 5.06 pm on Monday. They found the bodies of Marius Guevara, 25, in the back seat of a silver Nissan Cefiro and Tevin Neptune Joseph, 29, in a nearby drain.