Cops say woman ordered hit

ALFRED HINDS, alias “Calis,” a  27-year-old father of one, became the country’s 172nd murder victim for the year, when he was executed outside his Clifton Street, East Dry River home in full view of his wife around 3.30 am yesterday.

Hinds’ murder means that TT has now reached last year’s murder toll in September as, during the period January to December last year 172 persons were murdered. There are three months remaining in the year and police officers believe that the murder toll could cross the 200 mark, bringing a record high number of murders ever committed within the last ten years. Police investigators told Newsday they have information that the execution was ordered by a woman who is in possession of a hit list and has already ordered the deaths of five persons. The last two persons who were reportedly ordered executed by the woman were Damian Balasco and Ian White. The two were shot dead hours apart on September 18. Reports revealed that around 3.30 am, Hinds was asleep at his home in company with his wife Stephanie when they were alerted to a crashing sound and the smell of smoke. Hinds and his wife made a check and discovered that a molotov cocktail was thrown into their house. Hinds went outside of his home to fetch water to extinguish the fire when he was felled by a barrage of bullets. The bullets struck him in the abdomen. Hinds reportedly ran down the steps leading to Clifton Street where he collapsed and died.

When Newsday visited the area yesterday, there blood was still on the roadway, and on the steps leading to Hinds’ home. Neighbours of the dead man described him as a simple, honest person who was not involved in any illicit activities. Even police officers at the Besson Street Police Station described Hinds as a quiet person with no criminal record. They admitted that some of his relatives were suspects in several shootings and a murder. The grieving wife of the dead man told Newsday that she was standing about five feet away from where her husband stood when she realised that he was shot. Stephanie said that her husband never complained of being threatened and she was unsure why her husband was killed in such a violent manner. Newsday learnt that the homes of two neighbours were also firebombed shortly after Hinds was shot dead. Hinds was employed as a contractor at Paramin and was not linked to the Beverly Hills NHA project, which is under army guard. Cpl Barnabas Grant of the Besson Street Police Station is investigating.