[UPDATED] Man found bound, chopped in Penal

A normal day at his garden turned horrific for a Penal farmer after he discovered the body of an unidentified man among his plants on July 14.

Police said the gardener visited the Penal police station around 3.30 pm to report the find at his garden near Mahogany Drive, Penal Quinam Road, Penal.

Officers went to the scene where they found the body which appeared to be a male of African descent, dark complexion, short black hairstyle, medium built approximately 5 feet eight inches tall, on his stomach with apparent chop wounds to the lower leg and lacerations about the body. The feet, legs and hands were bound together and the man was clad in a green t-shirt and blue boxer shorts.

The scene was cordoned off. A district medical officer pronounced the man dead and ordered the body removed pending an autopsy. The body is yet to be identified.

The farmer told investigators he last visited his garden between 9 am and 6 pm on July 11, and returned around 11 am on July 14.

Residents of Penal Quinam Road were shocked by the find as they described the area as typically peaceful and quiet.

“Everybody does look out for one another. We have group chats and so forth and thing and I think the Penal police also in the chat so anything they’d be notified,” a resident, who gave his name only as Deoraj, said.

Given the community’s close and peaceful nature, he believed it was unlikely the victim was someone from the area or else they would have known about it.

An elderly woman who lives near where the gruesome discovery was made and who did not want to be identified, told Newsday this was the second body to be found in the area within recent months. She said this has her fearful for her safety and that of her children.

On April 10, a man riding a bicycle found human remains at the side of the road in an overgrown area after seeing a stray dog chewing on the bones. The body was believed to be that of Joanne Estick whose severed head was discovered inside a bag in a cooler at Sennon Village #3 in Siparia on March 13.

On April 2, Michael Edwards, 44, and his nephew Ryan Edwards of Siparia, appeared before a master in the High Court charged with Estick’s murder.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

A normal day at his garden turned horrific for a Penal gardener after he discovered the body of an unidentified man among his plants on July 14.

Police said the gardener visited the Penal Police Station around 3.30 pm to report the find at his garden near Mahogany Drive, Penal Quinam Road, Penal.

Officers went to the scene where they found the body which appeared to be a male of African descent, dark complexion, short black hairstyle, medium built approximately five feet eight inches tall, on his stomach with apparent chop wounds to the lower leg and lacerations about the body. The feet, legs and hands were bound together and the man was clad in a green t-shirt and blue boxer shorts.

The scene was cordoned off. A district medical officer pronounced the man dead and ordered the body removed pending an autopsy. The body is yet to be identified.

The gardener told investigators he last visited his land between 9 am and 6 pm on July 11, and returned around 11 am on July 14.