Driver shot dead, woman bludgeoned

There will be no Christmas for two Couva families after a 23-year-old woman was brutally beaten to death and a 39-year-old father shot dead while driving near the Chaguanas Cemetery on Wednesday night. Reports are that security officer Salisha Langtoo, of Jennifer Street, Lisas Gardens, was bludgeoned with a car jack and father of one Clifford George, of Carolina Village, was shot four times in the chest after they were ambushed outside the cemetery.

Two other occupants of the car, 31-year-old Kwesi Brooks and a woman identified only as Carlene, were shot and beaten. They were both warded in a critical condition at hospital up to last evening. Three men suspected of committing the heinous acts were held yesterday morning. They were caught robbing a supermarket in Chaguanas. The quartet was travelling along the Petersfield Main Road, St Thomas Village, Chaguanas, around 6.30 pm in a red Nissan Almera driven by George.

As they reached the cemetery, gunmen opened fire on the car, which crashed into a tombstone. Witnesses said the victims tried to run from the car after the initial attack, but the gunmen ran towards it and shot and beat their victims. Police led by ACP Wayne Dick, Snr Supt John Daniel, Supt Johnny Abraham, Insp Williams and Sgt Toolaram found George slumped in the driver’s seat while Langtoo was lying face down at the side of the car.

Carlene was found lying on the back seat suffering from injuries to the left side of her jaw, and Brooks was in the drain with injuries to his head. All four victims were taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility, where George and Langtoo died. Brooks and Carlene were then taken to the Eric Williams Medical Science Complex in Mt Hope, but the latter was later transferred to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital for emergency trauma treatment.

An autopsy by forensic pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov at the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday showed Langtoo was struck five times on the head with the car jack, causing skull fractures and brain damage. George was shot four times. Bullets pierced his aorta and lungs. Alexandrov said it was difficult to determine what types of bullets were used as they were unjacketed. When the T&T Guardian visited George’s home yesterday, his family was distraught. 

His aunt, Molly Samuel, said the death was especially tragic, since they were looking forward to spending Christmas together as a family. She said George and his eight-year-old son, Omari, were very close and he was working as PH taxi driver to buy Christmas gifts. Samuel was baffled at the killing, saying her nephew had no enemies. She said George was a part-time electrical technician at D2F Technical at Point Lisas, Couva, but had not been employed for the past few weeks and decided to work a friend’s car for hire.

When the Guardian news team visited Langtoo’s home, neighbours said her family had gone to the Forensic Science Centre. They described her as a friendly and respectable woman. The killings took the toll for the year to 373.