Witness: Victim identified her killer

A MURDERED Cumana mother of three identified her killer before she succumbed to the wounds of a brutal chopping. State witness Julien Des Vignes, of Guaymau Village, Cumana, told the court the victim, Christine Henry told him she and her son, Phillip had been severely chopped by “Redman who does work with (her common-law husband) Breddo.” The two sustained chop wounds at the Tompire Beach, Cumana on May 2, 2000. Six-year-old Phillip died on the beach that same day, while Christine died at hospital four days later. According to Des Vignes, he had solicited the help of Loyd and Darren Lyons to take Christine to the Toco Health Centre in the tray of their pick-up truck after she and Phillip had been chopped, but before the Lyons arrived, he said he asked the wounded woman if she knew who had chopped her. 

She told him it was “Redman” and she asked him to take care of her children because she knew she was going to die. On the way to the Health Centre, Des Vignes said, he again asked her who had chopped her and she said “Redman who used to live in Kelly house.” The accused, Neil Hernandez is before Justice Malcolm Holdip at the Port-of-Spain Fourth Court charged with the murders. Des Vignes said he knew the accused for eight years and they had lived in the same house for about three months before that fateful day. He said he knew of no one else in the village, except Hernandez, who was known as “Redman.” State attorney Alexander Prince is prosecuting and attorney Douglas St Clair appears for Hernandez. Hearing continues on Monday.