Pensioner killed hours after reporting break-in

A 79-year-old man was found dead on January 10, hours after he reported a break-in at his house in Toco.

Stalin Riley, a retired contractor who lived in Santa Cruz, left his house in Toco on December 15, 2024, and upon returning on January 9, realised it had been broken into.

He called the police, who went to the house to take his report, but he told them nothing was missing.

The next morning, his daughter called the police at around 11 am and asked them to check on him.

She said she spoke with him the night before, but she was no longer able to reach him.

Police returned to the home, accompanied by first responders.

They found Riley’s body on the bedroom floor, wrapped in a sheet, with his hands tied and his mouth gagged.

The District Medical Officer pronounced Riley dead and ordered his body to be taken to the Sangre Grande Mortuary for a post-mortem examination.

Homicide Region 2 officers are continuing investigations.

Riley is the country’s tenth murder victim for 2025.