Deportee charged with ex-girlfriend’s murder

A 42-year-old deportee faced a Rio Claro magistrate on Friday charged with the murder of his 30-year-old ex-girlfriend.

Simon Cova appeared before magistrate Taramatie Ramdass, who denied him bail and remanded him into police custody to reappear in court on April 7.

Patrice Aaron, the mother of two, was bludgeoned and strangled on February 14 at her rented apartment in Poole, Rio Claro. Her body was nude and she had a head wound.

At around 5.30 pm on February 14, one of her friends alerted the police after hearing a voice note from Aaron in which there seemed to be a commotion in the background. All subsequent calls and messages went unanswered, and the friend became worried.

The police went to the apartment, but the doors were locked.

With the landlord’s help, they opened the door and found Aaron’s body on a bed.

Aaron was originally from Mafeking Village, Mayaro, and was an active member of B. Pach Educational Services, a tutoring organisation.

Cova, who was deported from the US a few years ago, lives in Rio Claro. The police arrested him earlier in the week.

PC Gillead of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations (Region II) laid the charge after advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Cpl Arjoon prosecuted.