Trini family wiped out in murder/suicide

According to reports in the United States media, including the Ashbury Park Press and WABC-TV, Lyndon “Shane” Beharry, 35, shot and killed his common-law wife Amanda Morris, 29; and their children, seven-year-old Brandon Beharry and fouryear- old Brian Beharry.

Authorities report that Beharry’s sole injury was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The family of four were found dead in a second-floor bedroom at their Joline Avenue, New Jersey home on Tuesday night when firefighters responded to several 911 calls about a fire at the house at around midnight.

Investigators suspected a murder-suicide when the bodies were found with injuries not related to the fire, and the blaze did not appear to be accidental.

Beharry was a 16- year veteran of the city’s Department of Public Works, where he worked as a mechanic, and department director Fred Migliaccio described him as “an excellent mechanic and a very good-natured person”.

His sons, Brandon and Brian, were students in the Long Branch Public School system and were expected to start school when classes resumed Thursday.

The US media reported that family members were too upset to talk but cousin and neighbour Ronald Beharry had previously said the family had “lived very happily” and relatives locally also said that everything seemed fine with the family.

Another cousin, Rodney Beharry in Trinidad, told Newsday that “as expected the family is not taking it well”.

He noted that the funerals will be held in New Jersey and relatives were yesterday making arrangements.