Auto dealer Sheldon Sukhdeo was five times before his body was dumped in the forest at Las Lomas on Tuesday.
An autopsy conducted at the Forensic Science Centre in Federation Wednesday confirmed that Sukhdeo had been murdered then dumped some two miles off the Caroni South Bank Road.
Speaking at the police briefing on Wednesday, Insp Wayne Mystar said Sukhdeo was killed about five days before his body was found.
Sukhdeo, 32, was the brother of car dealer Sheron Sukhdeo, who was murdered last March.
Sukhdeo was kidnapped on December 16 and a ransom of $2m was demanded for his safe return.
On that morning at around 4 am, Sukhdeo was driving his BMW X-5 in the company of three Venezuelans; two women and a man, when he was stopped by a black Kia Sorento.
According to a police report, the vehicle appeared to have blue flashing lights. A gunman emerged and ordered Sukhdeo from the vehicle and into the other SUV.
The family was given proof of life a couple days later but heard little news about him until the discovery of his badly decomposed body.
It was the 5th instance of a murder affecting the Sukhdeo family and close associates since Sheron’s murder last March.
Sheron was shot dead on March 26, along the Caroni Savannah Road, a short distance from his mother-in-law’s home moments after getting a call to come outside the house.
About a month later, Sukhdeo’s neighbour Joshua Plaza, 21, of Savannah Heights, Charlieville, was killed. Like Sheron, he was shot moments after receiving a phone call to walk outside.
Two weeks after Plaza’s death on May 4, 2018, Phillip Bassant, Sukhdeo’s brother-in-law was killed in an almost identical manner to the car dealer, as he received a call, he was gunned down almost in almost the same spot where Sheron was killed.
Nine days later, Kerwin Beckles was shot dead near the New Settlement Savannah in Chaguanas. He was a close friend of the Sukhdeo family, investigators said.
Police believe much of family were being targeted particularly in the wake of Sheron Sukhdeo’s murder.