It was the talk of the country this past week: The video which Crime Watch host Ian Alleyne highlighted of the execution of 45-year-old businessman Darren Shane Painter outside his Southern Main Road, Cunupia, business place.Painter, of Ragoonanan Road, Cunupia, was the owner of a cellular and accessories business and an auto rental business.
He was shot execution-style by a man dressed in a jeans and a pink shirt last week. Eyewitnesses say the man laughed as he shot Painter, who had just walked back into the yard of his business place, where two women were selling gifts for Valentine's Day.Painter may have seen the man as he crossed the street, but he paid little attention as he walked back onto the compound drinking from a styrofoam cup. He walked into the gate and the shooter calmly walked up behind him and shot him once in the head.
But his shooter wanted to ensure that he was dead, as he emptied the bullets from the gun into his victim while his accomplice(s) waited for him in a White B13. He then pulled out another gun and emptied it into his victim.Traffic flowed freely along the road even as the crime was being committed, drivers seemingly oblivious to what was happening.
One of the two women selling Valentine's Day gifts ran after the first shot was fired and Painter fell, while the other looked on in disbelief, then also ran for safety. The gunman took no notice of them. Having killed Painter he calmly jumped into the waiting car and left the scene.But within minutes of the crime police were tailing the men. Alleyne was on the scene showing viewers the Central Division police chasing the killers on the Solomon Hochoy Highway as a helicopter circled the sky.
Soon enough the police got the better of the bandits. Two of the men, including Painter's shooter, were shot and killed and a third was taken into custody.Police would later tell Alleyne that Painter's shooter had been identified as Anderson "Chucky" Deo, the man wanted in connection with the murder of a soldier and another man at a bar in Preysal, Couva. The other man killed was identified as Junior Noel.The lone survivor remains in police custody.
On Thursday, assistant acting Superintendent Johnny Abraham told Crime Watch the man had not been charged as yet because investigators were doing checks on his background, and recording statements. He said it was more than likely that the man would be charged as an accomplice to murder.The airing of the footage generated lively discussion as callers to Crime Watch spoke about the brazen face of crime.
Alleyne told viewers that following his own investigation, he found out that Painter had himself been involved in criminal activity and while he did not go into detail, assistant Supt Abraham had told him Painter was one of six men charged for the 2008 kidnapping of Ronald and Richard Nath, the owners of Nath's furniture store in Sangre Grande.The matter is still before the High Court.