WANTED MAN GAVE NO TROUBLE

PHILADELPHIA detective Thomas Baker said yesterday that the Trinidadian man wanted for a double homicide in the United States never gave any trouble while he was there, and stated he had not been deported. The United States officer also told Newsday that he was not aware that Cyprian Diaz, 57, was an outpatient of the St Ann’s Mental Hospital. At the Tamana home of Diaz’s relatives yesterday, Newsday was told the suspect had been kept on the Observation Ward of the St Ann’s Mental Hospital for approximately one month after he suffered a nervous breakdown a few years ago. Relatives could not say what caused the nervous breakdown, but that Diaz’s twin brother, Felix Diaz, had visited and counselled him at the mental institution.  Felix said yesterday he was the one who signed him out. Asked if this would help Diaz’s cause, the United States detective said to Newsday: “Oh I didn’t know that (that he was a mental outpatient). No I don’t know if that will help his defence.”

Baker, who identified himself as the man “looking for the suspect”, also told Newsday the alleged double murderer was never deported from the United States. Rather, the US cop said the suspect entered the country legally on his own passport on May 9, 2001.  “He has been here ever since and ‘no’ he has never gotten into any trouble with the law up here,” Baker said. Baker expressed concerns that the suspect would possibly try to flee the United States, since he told one of his two children, Michael, 14 and Randy, 10, he was going back to Trinidad, after allegedly shooting to death, their mother, 40-year-old Prematee Celestine, and her 29-year-old Jamaican husband, Eugene Celestine, last Tuesday in Philadelphia. A warrant has since been issued for his arrest, Baker said, pointing out that the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FB) as well as TT Interpol have been placed on alert for the 57-year-old suspect.

However, local Interpol sources said they have had no official word from the United States, and that they were unaware of the man’s whereabouts. Baker also said that US authorities don’t know whether or not Diaz is still in the United States, since there are so many airports there, from which he could have left. He also said that Diaz is facing life imprisonment for the double homicide by gun. The girl’s mother, Chandroutie and sister, Seeta, tried to get US visas for Parmatee’s funeral, which is on Monday, but the Embassy was closed yesterday for the public holiday.