Senior Reporter
sascha.wilson@guardian.co.tt
Homicide investigators were yesterday trying to determine the motive behind the murders of an Erin labourer and a Barrackpore coconut vendor in separate incidents in South Trinidad.
The victims were identified as 55-year-old labourer Brian “Don” Baptiste of Erin and 34-year-old coconut vendor Michael Seeraj of Barrackpore.
In yesterday’s incident, Baptiste was filling water along Beach Road near the Erin Fishing Depot around 4.30 am when a man called out to him and opened fire.
Baptiste was hit several times and died at the scene. Officers later recovered four spent 9mm shell casings.
On Thursday night, Seeraj, a father of one, was gunned down while dumping coconut shells along Project Road, Ramsabad Trace.
Reports indicate Seeraj and another man arrived at the site in his white Isuzu truck around 7.35 pm when several gunshots rang out.
His colleague fled and alerted police. When officers arrived around 8.45 pm, they found Seeraj’s body lying face down beside the truck with gunshot wounds.
Police said $2,300 was found in his pocket.
Both Baptiste and Seeraj were pronounced dead at their respective scenes, and their bodies taken to the Forensic Science Centre for autopsies.
Seeraj’s brother-in-law, Steve Mungroo, said he had no idea why anyone would want to kill him, describing Seeraj as a hard worker. He said Seeraj had been a coconut vendor for 13 years, worked long hours, and was focused on completing construction of his home.
Police from Homicide Region Three and the Southern Division are continuing investigations into both killings.
