MURDER OR ACCIDENT?

EASTERN Division police say they aren’t ruling out murder in the death of 25-year-old Garthon Joseph who died after he fell about 40 feet to his death early yesterday.

Lawmen said although Joseph was running when he fell to his death, they are trying to establish whether or not he was being chased. As a consequence, officers of the Matura Police Station have called in the Homicide Department to assist them with their investigations. Yesterday, Homicide officers under Sgt Hendron Moses and several others revisited the scene and conducted investigations into the death.  Several people were interviewed and statements were recorded.

Police sources said if it is proven that Joseph was chased to cause injuries, murder or manlaughter charges could be laid.  However, if this is not proven, the death will be treated as accidental. Reports on the Joseph death are that around 3 am yesterday, he and five others including his 27-year-old brother, Garth, both of Rio Grande Trace, Matura, were walking south along the Toco Main Road, Matura. Police sources told Newsday when the five reached in the vicinity of a beach house, they noticed another group of five coming from the opposite direction.

Police said a member of the other group began to make “bad jokes” and later chased Garthon Joseph, who ran a short distance then fell over a 40-foot cliff and fell to the rocks below. Lawmen said members of both groups carried Joseph first to the Sangre Grande Police Station then to the Sangre Grande Hospital.  He was said to be bleeding from the nose and frothing from the mouth. And around 6 am yesterday, police said hospital authorities informed them of Joseph’s death. A report was made and a party of officers under Cpl Phillip Llewelyn of the Matura Police Post visited the scene and conducted investigations which police say are continung at a fast pace.