Murder toll climbs

With less than a day before the start of 2012, the nation’s murder toll continued to climb with shootings in Cunupia and Morvant. Those killed have been identified as:
• Stephen Waldropt, 79, a businessman of Hassarath Road, Cunupia;
• Marlon Telemaque, 27, of Sawmill Avenue, Barataria.

These murders raised the murder toll for last year to 353. According to police reports at around 5.30 pm, Waldropt, the proprietor of a bar located at his home, was standing outside his business place when he was approached by two gunmen. Police said one of the men snatched Waldropt’s gold chain which he was wearing at the time, while the other drew a firearm and shot him twice in the chest. Both men escaped on foot with the chain which was valued at more than $20,000. Waldropt was pronounced dead on the scene. Waldropt’s murder scene was visited by Superintendent Johnny Abraham, Sgt Susan John and Cpl Ramsaran all of the Central Division CID. Meanwhile, at around 9 pm, Telemaque was liming at a bar in Morvant Junction when a gunman entered the establishment.

Police said the gunman walked directly up to Telemaque who was seated on a stool at the bar and proceeded to shoot him 17 times about his body. Police said the other patrons at the bar scampered and hid under tables and the gunman casually walked out of the bar. Telemaque died on the scene. Police believe that Telemaque’s murder is gang related and said that it may have been a reprisal for the murder of Okera “Warlord” Wilson who was killed in Morvant on Thursday. Wilson was shot more than 20 times about his body in a drive-by shooting near his Cipriani Avenue, Second Caledonia, Morvant home. The bodies of both men were taken to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, where post-mortems are expected to be conducted on Tuesday.

Sgt Cornelius Samuel and officers of the North Eastern Division Task Force (NEDTF) visited the scene of Telemaque’s murder and are continuing investigations. Meanwhile, police yesterday discovered the body of a woman who was found with a gunshot wound to her head in San Fernando yesterday. Homicide officers were called in shortly after noon to investigate the body which was found behind the Olera Heights Housing Complex in Vistabella. The dead woman was identified late yesterday as Darcell Boodram, a Vistabella resident believed to have been in her 20s. Police said the victim is of mixed descent and was clad in a blue top and a black pair of tights.

The District Medical Officer for the area examined the body and ordered its removal to the San Fernando Mortuary. Investigations are continuing. According to reports, around 11 am, three men were hunting an iguana in a tree between the building and the San Fernando Hill. They told investigators that the iguana leaped over a precipice and upon pursuing the animal they saw what they thought was a body lodged between two rocks. The men then climbed into the precipice to investigate and came upon the woman’s corpse. A report was made to the HDC security who contacted the San Fernando Police Station. Residents were called in to identify the body; however no one claimed to know the woman.