BLOODY HOLIDAY WEEKEND

THREE murders and one road fatality were recorded in less than 24 hours over the festive Christmas weekend. One man was murdered on Saturday night, while two were killed yesterday. The murdered men are Samuel Sylvester, 61, of Mahogany Trace, Bagatelle, Diego Martin; Mark Hamilton, 31, of Maraval Road, Port-of-Spain; and Woodley Caleabean, 49, of Damarie Hill, Sangre Grande. Kelly Joseph, 14, died in a head-on collision. According to reports, Sylvester was walking along Sea Trace Bagatelle at 2.15 am, when residents heard several shots. On checking, they found Sylvester bleeding from four gunshot wounds to the chest. He was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital (PoSGH) where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

About an hour before Sylvester was killed, Hamilton had left the Copacabana Night Club on Dundonald Street, when he was approached by a gunman who shot him in the head and about the body. He was rushed to PoSGH where he died. At 9.30 pm on Saturday, businessman Caleabean was in his car on Green Street, Arima, when he was shot in the head. He died instantly. Teenager Kelly Joseph died yesterday morning shortly after an accident on the Eastern Main Road, Laventille. Two other murders on Saturday morning have taken the murder toll for the Christmas weekend to five, and 377 for 2005. Abiloa Primus was shot dead in Laventille on Saturday morning, while Point Fortin resident Martin Francis died from a knife wound on Saturday.