[UPDATED] Police find 2 women in shallow grave

AND RYAN HAMILTON-DAVIS

POLICE have not yet identified two female bodies discovered in shallow graves in Bejucal on the night of June 25.

The women, who appeared to be Venezuelans, were found in an apparent agricultural plot near Line Road Extension, off Warren Road, Bejucal, shortly before midnight by ASP Sinclair, Cpl Carter and PC Ali of the National Special Operations Unit, who were following up on information received from an informant.

Arriving at the scene around 11.30 pm, the officers went about 12 metres into a bushy area off the roadway where they saw the grass flattened and the soil appeared to be loose. They began excavating the area and found the bodies about ten minutes later.

The area was cordoned off and police units, including Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Criminal Division and Special Operations Richard Smith and officers from the National Special Operations Unit, Central Division Task Force Area North, Homicide Bureau, crime scene investigators and the K9 Unit responded.

A district medical officer visited the scene and pronounced the women dead. Autopsies were ordered on the bodies.

Smith told Newsday the women appeared to be between their mid-teens to late 20s. He said they appeared to have recently died. He was unable to say what the probable cause of death could be but noted an autopsy is expected to be performed on June 27 at the Forensic Science Centre, St James.

While the circumstances surrounding the deaths are still being investigated, social activist, particularly with migrant communities, Sofia Figueroa-Leon told Newsday the manner the bodies were found makes her believe they may have been victims of human trafficking. She said their ages also play a major factor in her belief, as traffickers often prefer younger females.

"It's very appalling. It just goes to show there still is a lot of human trafficking in TT."

She said while she knows the police's Human Trafficking Unit (CTU) are doing the best it could with the resources at hand, efforts need to be ramped up.

"This matter should be investigated thoroughly and wherever the leads may lead, apply the full extent of the law on those murderers that did this to these women/children."

According to a 2022 CTU report laid in Parliament, it rescued some 102 victims between 2013 and 2022. Among these victims were at least 30 minors- six being under the age of 15.

Activist: More Venezuelan girls missing

Managing director of La Casita Hispanic Cultural Centre Andreina Briceño Ventura-Brown has raised an alarm in the wake of the discovery of the bodies of two women found in a shallow grave.

“We have about three more missing ladies who went to work or who went to find a job and we can find them now,” said Ventura-Brown in a conversation with the Newsday on June 26.

Newsday was able to confirm that the Hunters Search and Rescue team are searching for at least one of the women.

She has been identified as Andrea Guadalupe Rivas Rosillo. She has been missing since June 19.

She said they have made several calls to people of the Hispanic community in TT, especially women, to be vigilant when going outdoors.

“Normally Venezuelan women or Hispanic women when they go out to find jobs they find themselves in traps,” said Ventura-Brown.

She said Venezuelans, in their social media groups usually shared safety tips to ensure that women stayed safe when going out or going to look for work.

“We ask the ladies to please don’t go out alone when you are going to check any job, please make sure and leave information.

“We in the Latin community are very alert because this is not the first time that someone is being raped or abused or exploited. But not all of it comes up on the news.”

Ventura-Brown said the Hispanic community was in shock over the murder and that the victims might themselves be Hispanic.

“It is mind-blowing to us that something like this could happen,” she said.

She said social media groups where Venezuelans would get information on possible jobs were closely monitored and suspicious numbers are flagged.

“They mark the numbers and follow up on them,” she said. “If they discover certain things they inform the group to be aware of that number, because that may be a person that has infiltrated the group.

“They will invite people to work and they will give very nice offers such as offering to pay $300 or $500 a day to wash. But we flag those numbers and say be careful with this job offer, it might not be a real job.”

She added in the event of a person going missing, La Casita advised Venezuelans that the first thing they should do was contact the police.

“Without a police report, it is very difficult for us to do anything. We just share flyers with names of missing people."

In the event of a death, groups such as La Casita are the first liaison between local officials and their family in Venezuela.

“We normally contact the family and give them guidance. We let them know what documents to send, what kind of letters of authorisation we would need to identify the body and so on. That is a very delicate process."

While police have not identified the bodies of the two women, their deaths could be the latest in a string of murders involving Venezuelans.

In May, a man believed to be a Venezuelan national was found dead near Grand Lagoon.

Earlier this year, in March, a 30-year-old barber identified as Irvin Joaquin Mayora was shot dead in St James during Carnival Tuesday celebrations. A 61-year-old Chaguanas man was charged with his death.

There have also been reported incidents of kidnapping of Venezuelan nationals.

In May, a Venezuelan woman was kidnapped after leaving a man outside a Double Palm Inn in Chase Village.

A ransom of $5,000 was taken for her safe return.

Newsday tried contacting commissioner of police Allister Guevarro and ACP South Wayne Mystar for further information without success.

This story was originally published with the title "Cops find two women's bodies in Cunupia farmland" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

POLICE have discovered the bodies of what appeared to be two Venezuelan women buried in shallow graves in Bejucal on the night of June 25.

Reports said around 11.30 pm first responders acting ASP Sinclair, Cpl Carter and PC Ali of the National Special Operations Unit, went to Line Road Extension of Warren Road, Bejucal, based on information received from an informant.

The officers went about 12 metres into a bushy area off the roadway where they saw the grass flattened and the soil appeared to be loose. They began excavating the area and found the bodies about ten minutes later. The area was cordoned off and TTPS Units, including ACP Richard Smith and officers from the National Special Operations Unit, Central Division Task Force Area North, Homicide Bureau, crime scene investigators and the K9 Unit, responded.

A district medical officer visited the scene and pronounced the women dead. Autopsies were ordered on the bodies.