Man stabs ex-lover to death

IN WHAT police have described as a crime of passion, a 35-year-old man ran amok on the streets of Pt Fortin yesterday afternoon, stabbing to death his ex-common-law wife and critically wounding his current common-law wife, before police overpowered and arrested him.

Up to late last night, police were investigating the brutal stabbing murder of Gail Augustine, 29, originally from Berbice, Guyana. The other woman identified as Cleopatra Spines, 24, of Coffee Street, San Fernando, was undergoing emergency surgery at San Fernando General Hospital, where doctors were in a battle to save her life. The suspect was held by police as he was still clutching a blood-stained knife. According to police sources, on October 15, the suspect had an altercation with Augustine and a female friend, during which time, he stabbed the female friend. He was arrested and charged with malicious wounding. The suspect appeared before Pt Fortin Magistrate Rae Roopchand where he pleaded guilty and was fined $2,000, for which, he was given a week to pay the fine. Police sources told Newsday that yesterday, the man who lived at Warden Road, Pt Fortin purchased two eight-inch-long knives at a ten-dollar store in Pt Fortin and was heard muttering to one of the store clerks that if one (of the knives) did not work, the other one would.

According to police reports, around 4 pm yesterday, the man waited outside a boutique store in Pt Fortin where Augustine worked. As she left her workplace, the man attacked and started stabbing Augustine, in the presence of several persons, who stood watching. She ran about ten-feet away and fell, with the suspect bending over her as he continued stabbing the screaming woman. After the fatal attack, the man ran to a nearby apple stall, where his current common-law wife, Spines was standing. He started to stab her as well. However, some men who saw the incident picked up boulders and approached the suspect, who ran off. At this time, Pt Fortin police arrived on the scene and held the suspect who was still armed with the bloodied knife. He was taken into custody, while both women were taken to the Pt Fortin District Hospital, where Augustine was pronounced dead on arrival. Spines was treated and transferred to the San Fernando General Hospital.

Visiting the scene were ASP Rattan Singh, Sgt Jimmy Palloo, Cpl Straker, Cpl Hospedales and PC Ramdeen and PC Gokool. Police sources said last night, that they were struggling to get more information on both women, since none of their relatives could be contacted and had not come to the Pt Fortin Police Station. An autopsy will be carried out today on Augustine’s body at the Forensic Science Centre, while doctors continue to monitor Spines’ condition. Cpl Straker is investigating the incident.