Student held in Toco murder

TWO villagers, one of them a student, are assisting Toco police officers with their investigation into the death of Toco gardener Leslie “Falco” Stanisclaus, who was found dead in a drain in Cumana. A 26-year-old man of Toco and a 17-year-old student of the Toco Composite School,  were held by Detectives Baboolal, Waldropt, Soopdale and Thomas of the Sangre Grande CID.

According to police reports, Carlos Thomas, also known as “Garlic,” of Washington Street, Toco, and a female companion, were in a beach house at Wheeler Street, Cumana Village, when around 9 pm Falco knocked on the door shouting “police.” Thomas allegedly opened the door to allow the “officers” to enter and was ordered by a gun-toting Falco to kneel on the ground. Falco then placed the gun to Thomas’s head. While kneeling, Thomas called out to his companion who was hiding, to run.

Just as the teenager ran out the door, Falco turned to see what was happening behind him and Thomas allegedly grabbed for the gun and hurled a stab at Falco which resulted in a wound in the chest. During the scuffle the firearm went off. Falco fell from the first floor of the building and started to run, but tumbled into a drain outside the beach house where his body was later found by a villager.

Detectives Baboolal, Edwards and Osoune of the Sangre Grande Police Station arrived on the scene and were later joined by acting Supt Crooks, ASP Gonzales, Insp Thomas and Sgt Roy also from Sangre Grande, and Sgt Wright of the Toco Police Station. District Medical Officer Dr Fe Reyes viewed the body and ordered its removal to the Sangre Grande Mortuary.  Results of a post-mortem conducted yesterday  were still pending last night.