Accused blamed other accused for Cascade murders

Lester Pitman, one of the two accused in the Cascade murder trial, told police in a statement that the other accused, Daniel Agard, admitted that he had killed the three murder victims. Initially, Pitman said Agard had asked him to go to a relative’s home to pick up a radio and other items. He said when they got to the house at Mt Anne Drive, Second Avenue in Cascade, Agard held a man and he, Pitman, held a woman. He said the man tried to run, but Agard pulled out a blade, took the man and the woman to the bathroom, tied them up and stuffed their mouths. Pitman said an old lady who was in a small room was also tied up and put with the other two in the bathroom. He said he tried to get Agard to leave but Agard went back into the bathroom with a knife.

Pitman said he found Agard was taking long and went back to the bathroom. There, he saw the three people lying on the ground. He also saw blood. Agard told him, “They dead, I kill them.” The statement by Pitman in the Cascade Triple Murder Trial was yesterday read aloud and submitted into evidence. It was recorded by yesterday’s witness, WPC Pauline Phillips, and read after Justice Volney warned the jury that the statement submitted was only to be used with reference to accused number two, Lester Pitman and could not be used against accused number one, Daniel Agard. Pitman, 25, and Agard, 21, are jointly accused of murdering Lynette Lichglow-Pearson, 51, agricultural consultant; John Cropper, 59; and Canadian resident Maggie Lee, 83, at Cropper’s Mt Ann Drive, Second Avenue, Cascade home some time between December 11 and 13, 2001.

WPC Phillips testified yesterday she was the officer who recorded Pitman’s statement. According to Phillips, on Wednesday December 19, 2001, she was on duty at the Homicide office in Port-of-Spain, where after having a conversation with one of the investigating officers, Sgt Wayne Dick, she was introduced to the accused, Lester Pitman. Phillips said after the arrival of Justice of the Peace Mottley De Peaza, Sgt Dick told the JP that the accused wished to give a statement about the three murders. After meeting with Pitman, the JP returned to Sgt Dick and WPC Phillips and told them the accused said he was not in a state of mind to give a statement. Some time later, Phillips testified, the accused indicated that he was then ready to proceed.

WPC Phillips said she and Sgt Ancil Corbett, together with the JP, sat in a room with the accused who was told of his rights. The accused was also told that he could write the statement himself, however he indicated to her that he wanted her to write it for him as he could only read and write a little. Phillips yesterday testified that she agreed to do so. According to Phillips, Pitman began his statement at about 4:45 pm that day and ended at about 6 pm. With no objections by the defence attorneys Mario Merit and Wayne Sturge, Pitman’s statement was read to the jury. Cross-examination of the witness will continue on Monday when the trial resumes. The matter is being heard at the Port-of-Spain second Criminal Court before Justice Herbert Volney. (See Page 30)