15 murders in nine days
FOLLOWING a two weeks lull, the murder tally in TT jumped by 15 from 164 to 179 in just nine days. The total is over a period of 181 days. The latest two are former Lever Brothers employee Pyrone Dunbar and construction worker Wayne Lezama. According to reports around 9 am yesterday Dunbar, 63, of LP #60 Eastern Main Road, Petit Bourg, was at his home alone when he was approached by a man he knew. An argument took place between the two and the man whipped out a knife and stabbed the father of four and grandfather of two 17 times about the body. The man then threw the bloody knife out the front door and fled the scene. Dunbar died instantly. The police were contacted and later seized the bloody knife at the scene. The man’s body was ordered removed to the Forensic Science Centre for an autopsy today. When Newsday visited the house the family members were puzzled over the killing and had no information. They could not enter the house because it was sealed off by police, with two officers standing guard outside. They however described him as a cool quiet man who never troubled anyone. Police sources believe the murder was related to the search of a female relative’s house on Friday where a number of electronic equipment and a quantity of marijuana were seized. The woman who lives close by was appearing in court at the time of the murder. Dunbar is believed to have alerted the police about the illegal drugs and equipment at the woman’s house. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a 36-year-relative who has been described as "miserable, dangerous and a nuisance." Sgt Hazare of the San Juan Police Station is investigating. In an unrelated matter just half an hour before, construction worker Wayne Lezama, 36, was at his work place when he was approached by a man who started shooting at him. Lezama ran off and the man joined by another caught him 200 yards away and fatally shot him twice in the back. According to reports around 8.30 am Lezama alias "Nanoo," "Cakes" and "Trevor" of Pipiol Trace, Santa Cruz, a steel bender was in a hole at a construction site on Gasparillo Road, Cantaro Village, Santa Cruz preparing the steel when a man walked on the job site and asked for work. A foreman sent an employee to interview the job seeker and while they were speaking another man walked in with a gun looked at Lezama and shouted "look he dey," and started firing at Lezama. The frightened steel bender who was shot in his leg, jumped out of the hole and started running, but was soon caught by the two men when he was fatally shot. When Newsday visited the family at Maraj Trace, Cantaro Village they were too traumatised to speak although one relative described the dead man as being a cool, humble man who troubled no one. Police visited the scene, while the DMO who also visited, ordered the body removed to the Forensic Science Centre for an autopsy today. Sources confirmed that Lezama was the main suspect in last Friday night’s murder of Abraham Gay, 29, of Red Hill, Morvant, at the Firehouse Pub at Cantaro Village, Santa Cruz. Both cases were reprisals and police believed both men were "marked for death." A total of 130 murders were recorded for the same period last year. Visiting the scene were ASP Trim, Snr Supt Bishop, Insp Hilaire, Sgt Abraham, Cpl Vidalle and Thomas who is conducting inquiries. Nine days of murders Here is a listing of the 15. 1) June 25 Toolsie Seecharan, 43, taxi driver of Barrackpore set afire. 2) June 26, taxi driver Carlton James, 62, shot dead at his Morvant home. 3) June 28 taxi driver Cagney Wynn of Maturita village robbed and shot dead while at work in Arima. 4) June 28 Everil Lynch,23, shot dead at 7th.Street Beetham Gardens. 5) June 29, Kevin Hamilton, 21, shot dead 8th Beetham Gardens, 6) June 30,Uttamdeo Marajh, 25, shot dead while rescuing his sister from kidnappers at a Palo Seco bar. 7) July 1 Kurt Murray, 35, chopped and stabbed at Tobago Port on Thursday, died next day. 8) July 1 US schoolgirl Kitty Pepe, 15, fatally stabbed at a Charlotteville, Tobago apartment. 9) July 1, Abraham gay, 29, shot dead in a Santa Cruz Pub. 10) July 1, Carenage proprietor Leon Chin Leong Fatt, 63, shot dead at his business place. 11) July 1, Market vendor Richard Isaac 33, of St Barb’s, Laventille shot dead on his way to the Port-of-Spain market. 12) July 1, Brad Bailey 18, River Estate shot dead at Tillsbury Place, Laventille. 13) July 3, Melissa Akong, 21, chopped to death at Cameron road, Petit Valley. Sister critical. 14) July 4, Pyrone Dunbar,63, stabbed to death at his Petit Bourg home. 15) July 4, Wayne Lezama 36, shot to death at his Cantaro workplace. No arrests have been made in any of the 15 murders to date. When contacted senior police officers refused to comment of the sudden escalation. When plans were announced by Attorney General John Jeremie to resume hanging and the death warrants were read to two prisoners the murder rate had dropped from almost one a day, to one in two weeks.
15 murders were recorded between June 25 and yesterday
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"15 murders in nine days"