Groom-to-be, 38, shot dead in Point Fortin

BUSINESSMAN Brent Lewis, 38, of Point Fortin, was looking forward to getting married to his longtime girlfriend in August.

However, the father of two, who owned a screen-printing business, was gunned down on the night of May 7 in his home community, dashing all hopes of the wedding.

Lewis, of 19th Street in Techier Village, was shot dead near First Street, opposite the Techier Community Centre, shortly before 9 pm on May 7.

A white Nissan Tiida car pulled up alongside him. Two occupants got out and opened fire, hitting him. Lewis died on the spot.

The killers got back into the car, which drove off.

A green Hyundai Trajet that was parked nearby also had several bullet holes. The police took the car to the Special Evidence Recovery Unit in Cumuto for processing.

No one else was injured.

Insp Harripersad, Sgt Ramjattan, acting Sgt Jaglal and other police from the South Western Division visited the scene.

Cpl Griffith, WPC Mohammed, PC Bhola and other police from the Homicide Bureau of Investigations (Region Three) visited the scene and gathered evidence.

The police found 27 spent shells as well as a cell phone.

Speaking to Newsday at the family's home on May 8, Lewis' bereaved mother, Juliana Rauseo-Lewis, 71, recalled that Lewis was talking to her about the wedding preparations the day before his demise.

She was unable to remember the exact day set for the wedding.

They live in the same house.

She added that his girlfriend, Josanne Desir, whom he had been in a relationship with for the past eight years, was devastated.

Rauseo-Lewis, the mother of five and grandmother of 14, said she was at home when she got a call from her daughter, who was in San Fernando.

Her daughter was asking about Lewis' whereabouts.

Thinking Lewis was somewhere in the house, Rauseo-Lewis responded that he was lying down. The daughter asked her to check, and the mother asked Desir for him.

She was told that moments earlier, he walked out of the road.

Then there was a pounding on the door, and some said Lewis was shot and killed.

Rauseo-Lewis said she did not go on the scene, but other relatives went.

From what she was told, before Lewis left the house he told a relative that someone was passing to give a downpayment for some printing.

He got a call and told the person on the other end of the line that he was on his way. It is believed that the client asked to meet on the road.

Lewis was waiting for her when the car pulled up and opened fire.

"He was a home person. He did not like liming and drinking. I did not say so because I am his mother. Anybody could tell you that. He was also my last born," she told Newsday.

With Mother's Day a few days away, Rauseo-Lewis said he did not say if he had plans but was sure he would have surprised her with something.

"Brent loved to surprise me. For example, he would give me some change for Valentine's Day or Mother's Day. My son would never leave her hungry," the bereaved mother said.

She said crime in TT was getting worse and called for more to be done about the illegal guns on the nation's streets.

She believed the "small people" did not have the resources to smuggle large weapons into the country.

"Where are these guns coming in from?" she questioned.

Rauseo-Lewis said in February 2023, Lewis' father died of natural causes.

Scores of people have taken to social media to offer their condolences and shared fond memories of Lewis. Many referred to him as a "cool soldier," "another fallen soldier" and a "good one."

One user posted: "For those who knew Brent Lewis will know you were a very wise man. I pray for comfort over your loved ones in this situation."

Another user posted: "RIP and condolences to the family."

The police do not have a motive.

The suspects remained at large and an autopsy is set to be done at the Forensic Science Centre in St James.

WPC Valdez is investigating.