Mentally ill man shot dead

A mentally disturbed man who was shot while running out of a house that was deliberately set on fire, died at the San Fernando General Hospital on Saturday. The relatives of 43-year-old Leroy Mills, of Sum Sum Hill, Claxton Bay, believe that he was murdered because he was considered a menace and nuisance by many in the community. His father Timothy Mills told Newsday his son had been threatened, ill-treated and chased after by several persons in the community because they said he was a “mad man.” But, according to Mills (snr), his son never used to bother anybody. He recalled that Leroy was “a nice normal person” who worked as a welder. However about 12 years ago he had an affair with a married woman and the relationship ended. “He never get over that heartbreak and he take on the worries,” he said. The father of seven said after that, his son was never the same.

He said villagers had made several complaints to the police that he (Leroy) was stealing their chickens and crops from their garden. Mills said they also claimed that their children were afraid to walk to school because they were afraid of the “mad man.” However, Mills said he found it strange that his son never stole his ducks and chickens and he had easy access to his yard at Seetahal Avenue, Claxton Bay, since it was not fenced. “I believe they wanted to get rid of him so they killed him. I don’t  know if they pay somebody or if they do it themselves. But that was not right. You cannot take the law into your own hands,” he charged. Recalling the night his son was shot, Mills said around 6.30 pm, Leroy was running down the road after his house was set on fire and someone shot him in his chest.  He fell into a canal, started to run again and then collapsed in front of Seetahal Grocery. Admitting that he and his son had not spoken since he (leroy) had gotten sick, he said: “They did not have to kill him. The police know who kill him because he give them a statement before he died,” he said. Mills said his son’s funeral service was held yesterday at Guides Funeral Home, San Fernando, and he was laid to rest at Diamond  Cemetery, Claxton Bay. Cpl McIntosh of the Couva CID is investigating.