Doctor’s son stabbed to death

SIX more murders were recorded between Monday night and yesterday morning, sending the murder toll to 382 with just three days to go in 2005. The six murder victims are 18-year-old Mark Rattan, a medical student and son of Dr Dipchand Rattan, of Ridgewood Terrace, Santa Margarita, St Augustine; store worker Antonio Jonas-Rodriguez, 16, of Five Rivers, Arouca; Guanapo labourer Gary Chuniesingh, 33, of Printery Ville, Arima; Ricky Ramsubhag, 41, of Calcutta No 2, Freeport (see Page 4); Devon Popee, 19, of Gill Street, Valencia; and Unemployment Relief Programme employee Wayne Parris, 45 of Dibe Road, Long Circular, St James. According to reports, while leaving the Royal Castle outlet at Curepe Junction at about 9 pm on Monday, Rattan was grabbed by five persons including two women and bundled into his RAV 4 vehicle.

The car then sped off in an easterly direction where the second-year vacationing St George’s College, Grenada medical student put up a fight during which he was beaten and received several stab wounds to his body. His body was later dumped in a drain under construction 200 metres north of the Caura Hospital. Later that night around 11 o’ clock, two men of the Mt D’or, Champ Fleurs area, were driving in the RAV 4 when it crashed into a lamp post on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway near the Maloney Post Office. On investigation, police discovered Rattan’s cell phone on the floor of the car. At the same time, the cell phone rang. The police answered the phone and discovered it was Rattan’s parents, Dr Dipchand Rattan and Wendy Rattan. The police interviewed the two men who later admitted committing a crime. They then took the police back to the scene where Rattan’s body was found.

When Newsday visited the Santa Margarita home of the dead youth, his mother was too traumatised to speak. Dr Rattan said while revenge would not bring his son back, he called on all the agencies and police to come together to do something about the unprecedented crime wave now hitting the country. The senior doctor also said that while  there have been calls even before the murder for his family to migrate, it is not being thought about at this time. The couple also has a 13-year-old son. Mark, a former Hillview College student, had been in the country two weeks and had visited friends earlier that day, was on his way home when tragedy struck. Police later went to houses at Mr D’Or Road where they arrested two more suspects including an 18-year-old woman. Four persons are currently assisting them in their investigations.

In another incident at around  4 am yesterday, Antonio Jonas- Rodriguez, fondly called “Tony” an employee of Fabric Land, Tunapuna, died at the Arima District Hospital following gunshot injuries he sustained to his body. His sister Terriann Jonas, 17, also received a gunshot wound to her back but was treated and discharged. When Newsday visited the family’s Five Rivers, Arouca home, Terriann explained, “After attending a party we, including my brother, another sister and three friends were walking along Skinner Street, Arouca, because transport was difficult to get. While walking, two men walked up to us and demanded money. When we said we had none and walked off, they started firing. My brother was shot about the body, while I was shot in my back.” His grandmother Vernice Jonas, a retired juvenile officer, described her grandson as a clean, well-behaved respectable boy who was killed innocently and called on all parents to take charge of their “boy children” before the situation gets worse.

Another murder victim, Gary Chuniesingh, was shot dead when he attempted to block a bullet meant for his boss. According to reports, at about 5.30 pm on Monday, Chuniesingh of Second Street, Printery Ville, was at the Guanapo home of his boss, planter Nazin Ali alias “Silver Fox,” when the latter was attacked and beaten by three men, one of whom he had an argument with earlier in the day over being planassed about $10,000 in stolen watermelon. On seeing his boss in trouble, Chuniesingh, who would sometimes stay with his boss, intervened and threw himself across his boss’ back when one of the gunmen whipped out a gun. The labourer died immediately after being shot in the back. When Newsday visited Ali’s home, he thanked Chuniesingh for what he had done, but expressed anger about the incident. Three men from the area have been detained for questioning.

Police also found the body of Devon Popee, 19, of Gill Street, Valencia, in a pool of blood with a gunshot wound to the back of his head execution-style yesterday morning. According to reports around 11.30 am, a resident stumbled on the body in a track off Gokool Trace, New Settlement, Valencia. The police were called in and DMO Dr Chalam ordered the body removed to the Forensic Science Centre for autopsy today.  Popee was last seen alive 1 am yesterday. Six persons are now assisting police with their investigations. Visiting the scenes were ASP Farrell, Inspectors Modeste and Daniel, Sgts Ashby and Daniels along with Insp Abrahams, Sgt Ramdeen and Cpls Parks, Gosien and Lucas. The latter five of the Homicide Bureau are continuing investigations.

In the last incident of the six, former murder-accused, Wayne Parris, ex-convict, who was recently released from prison, was gunned down a short distance from his Dibe, Long Circular home. Parris’ younger brother, former gang leader Heith Parris, was gunned down earlier this year in Maraval. According to reports, following an unsuccessful shooting attack on his nephew on Monday night, Parris went to a house in the area where he attempted to speak to a relative. While Parris was speaking, a gunman exited from the upstairs section of the house and fired several shots, hitting Parris in his chest. He died on the spot. Police believe both shootings were gang-related. Visiting the scene were Snr Supt Roderick Roach, ASP Millington, Sgt Marcelle and Sgt Cadette of the Homicide Bureau who is investigating. The latest murders bring the tally to 382, 123 more than last year and a total of ten between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.