Tortuga farmer shot dead in bed

A mechanical engineer from Central Trinidad who also worked as a farmer was shot dead while napping on Tuesday afternoon in his house.

The victim, Ganesh Deopersad, 33, was found on a bed still wrapped in a sheet at his home at Cocoyac Trace in Tortuga around 12.45 pm, shocking the normally quiet agricultural community.

The father of one was also known as Chicken and Shawnie.

Reports are that three men stormed the house with two wearing bandanas on their heads.

They held a female relative, who was in the kitchen and demanded that she hand over cash, jewellery, and other valuables.

Two men entered the room where Deopersad was asleep, and three gunshots rang out.

The men stole US $3,730, TT $1,000, and a digital video recorder.

The killer got into a car, where a male driver was waiting, and left.

Scores of relatives and residents gathered at the house as the police gathered evidence.

One of Deopersad’s bereaved cousins Ousha Deopersad said he was a former student of the University of TT but loved being a farmer.

He sold his goods at the Macoya wholesale market.

Earlier in the day, he picked several paw-paws and decided to take a nap.

His four-year-old son was at school when the murder took place.

At the scene, he was seen sitting on his paternal grandmother’s (Korisha Deopersad) lap under the house.

Sgt Jones and other police from the Homicide Bureau Region III were at the scene.

ASP Ablacksingh, Insp Doodnath, Sgts Blackman and Howard and PC Arjoon from Central Division as well as first-responders WPC Hernandez-Cobler, PCs Joseph and Naipaul, were also at the scene.

The suspects remained at large, and investigations are ongoing.