Relative of murdered Carapo man: SoE not making people feel safer

A close female relative of a 36-year-old Carapo man, who died on the night of January 14 after being struck in the head with a piece of iron, criticised the state of emergency (SoE) for failing to curb crime, noting that he was the country’s 14th murder victim.

The man has been identified as Darren Francis.

Police said around 9.55 pm on January 14, Francis and another man were standing near a white Mitsubishi Lancer playing music at the Santa Rosa Car Park, Race Course Road, Carapo, when they were approached by two men.

One man was masked and armed with a piece of iron. The man walked up to Francis and hit him on his head.

Francis tried to run away but was chased by the two men. He was hit a few more times.

The two men then walked through a track to escape.

Police received the report of the incident around 10.05 pm and arrived eleven minutes later.

They found Francis lying motionless. He died on the spot. He also had multiple wounds to his head.

A car was also on fire in the car park.

Police said an altercation was the likely cause of the murder.

Newsday spoke to one of Francis' close female relatives on January 15 who said he was a fun and loving man.

"He liked music, birds, going to the river and anything to do with cars.

"He and his nephew would take apart things and put it back together. Painting cars, music..., he was just quiet. He didn't have any enemies."

She said she last interacted Francis on January 13 when he took his dad to the hospital. She said Francis' mother last saw him around 3 pm on January 14.

"He told her he was going out the road to come back, that he was going to pick up something.

"He never made it back home."

She explained Francis was a doubles vendor for someone else's business. She also criticised the ongoing SoE.

"This SoE like it just spike everything. Everything gone from 0-100 in a matter of 14 days.

"He is the 14th homicide. We not getting any justice. This SoE is supposed to make us feel safe."

She hopes the police find the people responsible for Francis' death and his family can get some form of justice.

Police reports say there have been 14 murders as at January 15, 11 less than 2024's figure.