2 Trinis shot dead in Philadelphia

POLICE in Philadelphia in the United States are now searching for a 54-year-old Trinidadian for the murders of his ex-lover Prematee Celestine and her husband Eugene Celestine, both Trinidadians. It was a volatile situation — a woman living with both her husband  and alleged ex-boyfriend. On Tuesday, the West Philly love triangle imploded, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported yesterday. Eugene Celestine, 29, and Prematee Celestine, 40, were shot to death, police said. They were married in December 2000. And police are seeking Cyprin Diaz, 54, for questioning. Friends said Diaz was Prematee Celestine’s former boyfriend and father of her two sons. Reports revealed that Diaz had been deported to Trinidad some time ago, but managed to get back into the United States where he allegedly committed the murders. The complicated threesome had apparently all been living together in a house on 54th Street near Arch. Eugene Celestine was killed on a street near the house early Tuesday morning, police said. He was found in a pool of blood at about 2:20 a.m. on Arch Street near Ruby. Police said the killer apparently had gone back to the house after that and shot Prematee Celestine.

The exact time she was killed was unclear, police said. But police said the gunman locked the sons in the house with their mother’s body for some time. When the gunman left, the kids called 911 and police got to the house at about 2:40 p.m. Friends said they were shocked by the news yesterday, although they did say the Celestines had some troubles. “They were having problems,” a man who identified himself only as Sevens said. “They used to be arguing.” And a co-worker said: “They had some misunderstanding in their relationship.” Prematee Celestine, formerly Rampersad, who was described as a fun, outgoing person, was from Trinidad, friends said. She and Eugene Celestine had lived on 54th Street for about four years, neighbors said. At some point Diaz, Prematee Celestine’s former love, also of Trinidad, followed her here to be with their two children, friends said. In the past year, friends said, Prematee Celestine had started a restaurant called Island Style Soul Food, on 60th Street near Walnut. Both men were helping her. It wasn’t clear just how long the triangular living situation had gone on, but friends said that Eugene Celestine had had enough. Eugene Celestine had recently asked Diaz to move out. The two men argued about it again on Monday, one friend said. Early Tuesday, the fight turned deadly.