Murder/suicide in St Joseph

Devika, 24, of Iere Village, Princes Town, was found dead around 4.30 pm in a house at El Chorro Road, Maracas, St Joseph. She was the mother of a five-year-old girl — Britney Manickshand.

According to a police report, Devika and a close male friend had an argument during which he slit her throat. The man then drank a toxic substance and slit his own throat with a knife. The incident occurred in the house at El Chorro Road and, according to the report, the man was found lying near a standpipe close to his home. He later died at Port-of-Spain General Hospital.

Yesterday, a distraught Narine, who is a single parent, was yesterday lying in her hammock at her Cement Line Avenue, Macaulay home, when Newsday visited. Narine told Newsday that her daughter lived in Princes Town with her fiancee, but their daughter Britney stayed with her.

Narine said that her daughter was a student with Niherst, pursuing a beautician course in San Fernando.

Narine said Devika left her Princes Town home on Thursday morning to attend classes in San Fernando. "I really don’t know what happened, but I believe that the guy planned the whole thing and picked her up somewhere along the way. He knew what he was going to do."

Narine suspects that Devika met her death because the man became jealous when he found out her daughter was expected to marry soon. "I believe that he was jealous, that is why he killed my daughter," Narine said.

Devika was the last of three children, and was described by relatives as a pleasant and very ambitious person. She would have celebrated her 25th birthday next week Saturday, her mother said.