Double murder in Gonzales

The bullet riddled bodies of a 25-year-old ‘bouncer’ employed with Island Club Casino, and a Beetham Estate woman, were found dead in a car at Brisby Street, Gonzales, around 12.45 am yesterday.

Police suspect that Keith Barrow was hijacked and robbed, while Ria Blackman, 20, the female passenger was killed to prevent her from identifying the killer or killers. Reports revealed that around 12.45 am yesterday, residents of Brisby Street heard a barrage of gunshots. On checking they saw the body of Barrow slumped in the driver’s seat with bullet wounds to the head and face, while Blackman was slumped in the passenger front seat of the car with bullet wounds to her head and back. 58 persons were murdered for the year so far. Police investigators said yesterday that the panQts pockets of Barrow were emptied by the killer or killers.

Barrow worked as a ‘PH’ taxidriver,  and was last seen alive late Sunday plying the car for hire. The owner of the car lives at Duke Street, Port-of-Spain. The bodies were viewed by District Medical Officer, Dr Pounder and ordered removed to the Forensic Science Centre. Blackman was wearing a white pants and red flowered top. Her body was identified at the Port-of-Spain Mortuary around midday yesterday. The car in which the bodies were found was towed to Police Headquarters and checked for prints. When Newsday visited the Fatima Trace, Laventille, home of Barrow yesterday, his girlfriend Kerra George, 20, said that around 7 pm on Sunday, Barrow told her that he was going to work PH. She added that Barrow was supposed to write an exam in two weeks time to gain entrance into the Defence Force. He was excited about the possibility of being in the army.

She claimed that Barrow was not involved in any illicit activities, and was a hard worker. She said that around 10 am yesterday, she was told the sad news of the death and visited the Port-of-Spain Mortuary to view the body. Yesterday, she was in a state of shock over the killing and added that she was unsure how to deal with the grief. She called on the police to find the killer or killers. Enid Barrow, the mother of the dead man said that the last time she saw her son was on Sunday, when she visited him at his Fatima Trace, home. She described her son as a peaceful, friendly person. As tears swelled her eyes she added that her son did not deserve to die, and called on the police to bring the perpetrators of the crime to justice. At Island Club Casino, employees expressed shock over the killing and added that although Barrow was a ‘bouncer’ he was liked by patrons who visited the casino.

Around midday yesterday, the parents of murder victim, Ria Blackman, went to the Port-of-Spain Mortuary and identified her body. Yvonne Blackman, the mother of the dead girl said that her daughter left home on Sunday saying she was going to Laventille to visit a friend. She also told her mother that she would return home early Monday. Blackman said yesterday that her daughter was a good person who did not deserve such a violent death. She called on the police to solve the murders. Officers of the Belmont Police Station are investigating.