A 25-year-old member of the T&T Defence Force has been murdered. Police said a female friend of Nirel Parks, 25, of De Freitas Boulevard in La Horquetta, stumbled upon his body at his home, around 2.40 am yesterday, and notified them.
Officers, led by Cpl Figaro and PC Pinder of the Region II Homicide Bureau, discovered Parks with multiple stab wounds about the head, chest, stomach and groin. They said the murder weapon remained lodged in the victim's stomach.
Police are working on the theory that Parks was a victim of robbery. They also suspect that he was able to put up a fight with his attackers before being killed. According to his distraught mother, Athene, several household items were stolen, as well as his silver Primera motorcar and cellphone. At her D'Abadie home yesterday, Athene described Parks as a very loving and jovial person, who was very ambitious.
"He wanted to open several small businesses, apart from the clothing store he had in Arima. Nirel was one of the most loving and light-hearted persons who never showed his anger at anyone. He was always smiling and even made friends with strangers. "Right now, I can't even function," she said in tears. Police said they were working along certain leads.
'Cool trooper'
Parks was last assigned to the T&T Defence Force Headquarters as the driver for Major Jeffrey. He joined the army in 2003 and worked as a cook at Camps Cumuto and Ogden.
Parks was also assigned to the Inter-Agency Task Force, Vemcott, where he worked alongside police officers patrolling crime hot spots in Laventille, Morvant and Port-of-Spain. Police who worked with Parks described him as a "cool trooper" who was always interested and dedicated to his job.