Relatives: Icacos murder victims were not involved with drugs

RELATIVES and members of the community believe at least two of the three men found murdered at Icacos Beach on the morning of September 5, were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Joshua Sadoo, 21, of Fanny Village, Point Fortin and Kareem Celestine, 36, of Icacos Village, Cedros were found dead around 2 am along with a man who police are yet to identify.

Sadoo was found slumped in the driver's seat of a white Nissan B14 riddled with bullet holes while Celestine was found dead on the sand near the unidentified man. Two Venezuelan migrant males who lived nearby aged 45 and 15 were also shot along with a 24-year-old migrant female.

Police still have not established a motive for the killing but suspect it to be a drug deal gone wrong. Sources told Newsday up to the evening of September 6, they could not pinpoint who was the intended target but believe identifying the third victim could be key to answering the critical question.

Police said the man was of African descent, of medium-build, with a dark-brown complexion and braids. He also had a tattoo of a crab on his chest and one of a marijuana leaf on his right shoulder.

By midday on September 6, boats were already pulled onto the shore as fishermen ended their day at sea when Newsday visited. One witness, whose name is withheld, said four gunmen dressed in black approached the beach shortly after midnight. While he was too far away to make out any of the attackers, he said there was no doubt in his mind the men were on a mission.

"They was looking for somebody. I don't know who and what but they was looking for somebody and I don't know if they find them or ain't find them or what."

He said Sadoo was in the car while Celestine and the unknown man were under one of the sheds. He said the attackers ran in and shot Sadoo before dragging Celestine and the other man to the spot where they killed them. He said the gunmen then began kicking in the doors of some migrants who lived in wooden shacks along the beach before shooting at some and then fleeing. He estimates the attackers barged into four homes.

"It's shocking."

One of the Venezuelan migrants told police they were asleep when the men barged in and shot at them.

Another neighbour, who wished to remain unidentified, said his 22-year-old son who was visiting at the time was grazed by one of the bullets but did not seek medical attention.

Fisherman and Celestine's brother-in-law, Anthony, denied the killings could have been drug-related. He said Celestine was born and raised in the community and while Sadoo lived in Point Fortin, he also grew up in the area.

"Them men is workmen, them men is tractor men pulling out we boats...that's what these men and them does do when the day come."

Apart from pleading for Celestine and Sadoo's innocence, he said there were no criminal enterprises operating in the area.

"We have no gang down here. It have no 6ixx (or) no Seven down here.

"We don't tolerate them thing down here."

Fisherman Jordan Baptiste said his cousin, Celestine, was a hard-working man who was always "hustlin." While that may be the case, he said his cousin never used illegal means to earn an income.

He and Anthony believed one of the other men was the intended target.

"Is just wrong place, wrong time, bad company."

Newsday also met with Celestine's brother, Keston. He said Celestine lived in Port-of-Spain for some time before leaving to join his five-year-old son in Icacos when he grew tired of the gang wars in the city.

He said the family was trying to come to terms with the loss but was focusing on the funeral.

Newsday was unable to speak with the injured migrants as neighbours said they were still at hospital. The 24-year-old woman and 15-year-old boy were warded in stable condition but the 45-year-old man was in critical condition.

Over in Fanny Village, Point Fortin, Sadoo's mother refused an interview with Newsday as she expressed anger over media reports which suggested her son may have been involved in drugs. She was adamant he was not and was focused on building a home for himself.

Sadoo's neighbour, Penny George, also denied the notion that he could have been involved in drugs. She described him as a caring young man who looked out for the community.

"I knew Joshua (since he was) small and I know him to be a jolly person, very kind-hearted and his smile was very infectious. Once he smiled, everybody smiled. He was kind (and) generous. Up to the other day he gave everybody fish in the neighbourhood so it was really sad to hear of his passing."

She said the Coconut Road community was not taking the news well. She described the crime rate as "ridiculous."

She said both the government and parents needed to pay closer attention to their children to address the issue. However, she lamented that busy lifestyles were hindering parents from doing their part.

"If both parents didn't have to work and it had one home that could sort out the children, because right now children seeing about themselves and it leaves no room for improvement for themselves. Because they tell themselves, when they come home, it's just the device and friends."

The men's murders came hours after Mayaro siblings Shenelle, 16, and Keston Singh, 21, were chopped to death in Naggee Road, Princes Town. The suspect was arrested on September 5. While police are yet to lay charges, Newsday was told he remained in their custody.