Man killed over rum drink

A DISPUTE over a drink of rum led to the death of a 38-year-old fisherman in Penal on Friday night, witnesses to the killing said yesterday. Hillarie De Coteau, also known as “Bareback,” was fatally stabbed to the chest, allegedly by a 40-year-old part-time butcher and fisherman — a man with whom the deceased had limed on previous occasions. It was around 8 pm when De Coteau, described by friends as a “cool and quiet fella,” was seen drinking at Market Bar in Penal with his alleged killer, when the lime turned sour. The bar is located a stone’s throw away from the Penal Police Station.

For the last two weeks De Coteau had been staying at the Sunrees Road, Penal, home of co-workers Dinesh Harrilal, and Cyrus Ramnath. Harrilal said that De Coteau returned home around 5 pm after fishing for almost 24 hours at the King’s Wharf, San Fernando. After just half an hour’s rest, De Coteau said he was going out. Police reports indicate that while De Coteau was drinking at the bar, he took up the butcher’s drink and drank it. Witnesses told Sunday Newsday that De Coteau and the bar patron began to wrestle with each other at the back of the bar. One witness, who requested anonymity, told Sunday Newsday: “He (the alleged killer) went outside like if he went for a knife. Then he come back in the bar and stab De Coteau in the  chest. I went and call the police from across the road, and the barman call for the ambulance.”

Harrilal and Ramnath said De Coteau’s alleged killer was usually armed. “He always had a knife with him wherever he went. But Bareback never walked with a weapon, he wasn’t that kind of person. He was always friendly and never do anybody anything,” a sad Harrilal said. Police quickly arrived on the scene and detained the 40-year-old suspect, and seized a 12-inch knife. De Coteau was said to have bled on the ground for almost half an hour before an ambulance arrived to take him to hospital. He died as doctors at the Accident and Emergency Department of the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) operated on him.

De Coteau’s girlfriend, Denique Capito, 34, said that although their relationship was on a break, they had been planning to rent an apartment in two weeks and start a new life. “I am numb right now. Although I see the body I don’t believe yet that he died.” Harrilal said Friday evening De Coteau was supposed to meet a relative who would assist him in applying for a passport. “Bareback wanted to go abroad and try to make life better. It was a surprise thing that he wanted to do for her (Capito). But things happen so fast and finish,” Harrilal lamented. Penal Police are continuing investigations.