Almost three days after a man from Arima was abducted outside his home by a group of men impersonating police officers, his headless body was found in a precipice in the Heights of Guanapo, Arima, yesterday morning.
According to reports, early yesterday morning, residents of the community began smelling a strong decomposing smell.
The residents initially suspected that the smell was that of a dead dog that was dumped in the community, but made the grisly discovery while searching a forested area.
Sources said that the residents found a stray dog attacking the victim’s hand. One of the victim’s feet also appeared to have been attacked by the animal previously as the body was found with only one boot on.
Residents and the police searched the area for the victim’s head but were unsuccessful.
One resident, who spoke to Guardian Media and asked to remain anonymous, claimed that villagers heard a single gunshot on Wednesday but dismissed it as someone engaging in hunting outside the annual season as such is not uncommon in the community.
Guardian Media understands that relatives of 31-year-old Joel Caleb were able to identify him based on the clothing and shoe the body was dressed in.
His body was removed by undertakers and taken to the Forensic Science Centre in St James, where an autopsy will be performed later this week.
According to reports, around 8.30 pm on Wednesday, Caleb was driving his silver Nissan Almera near his home at Tumpuna Road, Arima, when he was intercepted by a red Nissan X-Trail which had blue swivel lights on the dashboard.
Three armed men got out of the SUV, bundled Caleb inside, and drove off with him as a fourth man drove away in Caleb’s car.
Caleb’s murder raised the count for the year to 196, compared to 173 for the same period, last year.
Detectives of the Region Two Homicide Bureau are continuing investigations.
