The death of Siparia mother of two, Trichelle Campbell-Dean has left her family in a state of shock after a male relative whom they have grown fond of confessed to committing the horrendous act. Now, the Campbell family wants to know why he did it after being so close to them. Campbell-Dean, 28, was reported missing last Monday. Her severely decomposed body was exhumed on Friday evening from a shallow grave behind the Palo Seco Government Secondary School. She was found wearing a wig and a pair of black short pants after police were led to the scene by the alleged killer. Campbell-Dean, a nurse at the Siparia Health Centre lived with her husband and two children, Emily, two and one-year-old Keshaun at Syne Trace, Syne Village, Siparia. Now, her children who are currently staying with relatives, constantly call for their mother. Campbell-Dean was due for work at 6 am last Monday. Instead, Siparia police received a report from a relative later that day that she went missing.
After lengthy searches there were reports of a body found in Palo Seco. Police arrested a male relative. Senior Superintendent Franklin Sampat, Inspector Seedarie and Sgt Ramdeen comprised the investigating party. At Campbell-Dean's parents' home at Chambersville, Palo Seco on Friday night, friends and family gathered to offer support to the distressed family. A devastated sister of the deceased, Michelle O'Connor said the family wants to know why the relative would kill her baby sister. "I want to know why he did it. I want to know why he didn't come to us if he had a problem so we could have helped him," O'Connor said.
She said her sister was never subjected to any abuse at the hands of the relative and would argue like regular people do. In a state of shock, O'Connor said the killer was close to the family and had a good relationship with everyone. She recalled the last conversation shared with Campbell-Dean: "'Michelle, I going now. I will call you or BBM you when I get home,'" she said. However, that call never materialised as the next time O'Connor saw her sister, she screamed out hysterically as she stared at Campbell-Dean's gruesome remains.
"I was home with my family when my brother Desmond called me saying Michelle, I am coming for you. I need you to be strong for mummy. He came and picked us up and carried us to where my sister's body was. I just started screaming," O'Connor said. Campbell-Dean was the daughter of retired South Western Division Inspector, David Campbell who in the past had to deal with an all too familiar scene. This time, it was his daughter. He identified her by the tattoo on her left hand. David Campbell is remembered for his investigation into the 2005 murder of teenager Pixie Lakhan. O'Connor described her sister as a loving mother, a good friend and the best sister. She said her sister had planned to go back to school to further her education. Campbell-Dean was the last of four children to David Campbell, 59, and Joyce Campbell, 57. An autopsy is expected to be done at the Forensic Science Centre on Tuesday. Police suspect the victim was strangled.