Murder #174 — headless corpse of missing mechanic found

THE COUNTRY’s murder tally continued to climb yesterday following the discovery of the headless corpse of Derrick Lalla, the Maloney man who went missing on September 21. Lalla, 29, of Couva Avenue, was found just before 7 am yesterday by a joint police party from the San Rafael and Cumuto Police Stations. Police said they received information around 5 am yesterday after which the party of officers including ASP Wesley Moore, Sgt Osmond Williams, Cpls Winston Gomez and Charles journeyed about two miles into a forested area off Balata Trace, Tumpuna Road, San Rafael. There, the officers found the decomposing body of Lalla, who was clad in a denim three quarter jeans, white T-shirt and black slippers. The long-time auto-mechanic’s head was completely severed from his body and District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr Emmanuel Hosein told police that he had been shot in the head.

He also had two cellphones in his possession — a Nokia and Ericsson.  Because of this discovery, police said they do not believe robbery was the motive, which could not be ascertained up to late evening. Police said while Lalla did not have a criminal record, he hung out with associates of “questionable character.” After viewing the body, DMO Hosein ordered it removed to the Forensic Science Centre, where a post-mortem was carded for yesterday.  It was there that Lalla’s relatives positively identified him. Lalla went missing on September 21 after he visited a friend in Arouca. The vehicle he was driving was found burnt in Wallerfield on Monday. His murder is now the 174th for the year.