Two men ‘executed’ in St Barb’s

TWO men were executed on Sunday evening in St Barb’s in what police believe is another gangland drug killing. Total murders so far for the year stand at 218, which is 34 more than the same period last year. The bullet-ridden bodies of Bill Philip, 42, alias ‘Dummy’ of Belmont Valley Road, Belmont, and Keith Diaz, 37, of Tacarigua were found lying in  pools of blood, in the middle of the road close to each other at the corner of Hamlet Trace No1 and St Barb’s Road, Laventille.

According to reports, around 6.30 pm off-duty Police Constable Primus attached to the Belmont Police Station was on his way to work when he saw the two bodies lying in the middle of the road. The bodies bore several bullet wounds. Autopsy results on Philip confirmed death by haemorrhaging consistent with multiple gunshot wounds. An autopsy will be performed today on Diaz. Diaz’ body bore several plasters from bullets wounds he recently suffered and had been treated for at the San Fernando General Hospital. Both men had been on several charges. When Newsday visited Philip’s Belmont Valley Road home and St. Barb’s where the shooting took place, everyone refused to speak claiming they saw and knew nothing.

Police believe both men were set-up by a drug gang following a drug deal that went sour. They also confirmed that their investigations had hit a snag since no one was talking. Based on evidence at the murder scene  police have deduced both men were either sitting or standing by a standpipe when the gunman or gunmen started shooting from a moving car. Philip fell immediately, while Diaz ran a short distance before he collapsed under the street sign.