Maloney Gardens man goes on trial for 2010 murder of ex-girlfriend

A Maloney Gardens man has gone on trial for the murder of his former girlfriend in 2010.

Sheldon Ishmael Gumbs, also called “Worm,” is before Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds in a judge-only trial at the Port of Spain High Court for the murder of Krystal Richards.

It is alleged on May 29, 2010, Richards, 26, was killed by a gunman who fired a shot through the window of her kitchen at Building 20, Maloney Gardens, at about 10 pm.

Her body was found by a relative in the kitchen.

Testifying at the trial on May 1, were the woman’s younger sister, who was 12 at the time of the shooting, and Richards’ daughter. Both women could not recall certain details of their statements they allegedly gave to the police.

They said they knew Gumbs as Richards' companion. Her sister said she could not recall if she saw him on the day Richards was killed while her daughter said she was watching Hannah Montana on television when she heard her mother talking to someone by the door and then she heard gunshots.

She admitted she did not see who her mother was speaking to at the door but heard part of her conversation. She also did not see who shot her mother.

In her opening address, lead prosecutor Charmaine Samuel said Richards and Gumbs spoke briefly that evening. She said he and some neighbours were liming at the back of another building at Maloney Gardens when Richards’ daughter heard her speaking to someone briefly at the door at about 9.45 pm.

Samuel said Richards went to the kitchen to make tea and just before 9.57 pm, her daughter heard her on the phone telling someone “she not taking no sorry.”

Soon after, Samuel said three gunshots were heard. Samuel also said Gumbs allegedly confessed to one of the neighbours who was with Gumbs earlier that evening and that he “did not mean to do it.”

At Wednesday's hearing, the prosecution admitted formal statements from some of its witnesses. The trial continues on May 2.

Also prosecuting is Guiliana Guy while Michelle Ali of the public defenders’ department is representing Gumbs.