‘Died like a dog’, says family

A SANITATION worker at the National Housing Authority (NHA) became the country’s latest murder victim, having been shot to death at his Twelfth Street, Beetham Gardens, home on Friday night.

Police have since given Vernon Hospedales’ death a robbery motive, since cash and jewelry amounting to approximately $16,000 was stolen by the two gunmen who entered his home around 8pm on Friday. At the time of his death, Hospedales, who is also a part-time butcher, appeared to have been brushing his teeth since his toothbrush was in his mouth. Neighbours told police that they heard a loud explosion, after which they saw two men running away from the scene. On checking, police said neighbours told them that they found Hospedales lying in a pool of blood. The 52-year-old father of four, who police said was home alone at the time, was dead.  A report was made and a party of officers headed by ASP Alfred Sealy and including acting Insp Manichand Ramnarine, Sgt Creighton Hudson, Cpls Elizabeth Boland and Francis Collins visited the scene.

District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr Althea Holder pronounced Hospedales dead and ordered his body removed to the Port-of-Spain mortuary for an autopsy tomorrow. Hospedales’ common-law wife, Sandra Alexander told reporters that Hospedales died like a dog.  She said he was a very hardworking person and believes it was people in the area who committed the act. Alexander said Hospedales had recently fought off bandits who tried to rob him at his home, and feels his death is just a continuation of that episode. Residents from the area said they know who did the shooting and claimed that one of the killers returned to the area yesterday morning. No arrests had been made up to late evening and Cpl Boland of the Besson Street Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is continuing investigations.

Meantime, officers of the San Juan CID are investigating Friday’s shooting of a Maloney man, who is reported to be in stable condition at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Reports are that around 10am Marlon Griffith, 31, of Maloney Gardens, was walking in the vicinity of Blanche Street, Bourg Mulatresse, when a man he knew approached him and fired a single shot, striking him in the leg. The assailant fled the scene, while passersby rushed Griffith to the medical institution.  A report was made and a party of officers that included PCs Sylvan, Weekes and Bennett visited the scene and retrieved an empty casing and projectile. No arrests were made up to late evening and PC Sylvan is continuing investigations.