KEVON FELMINE
kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
When Kirk Guerero heard gunshots echoing in his Moruga neighbourhood, he did not suspect his family was in danger.
But after calls to his brother Peter Guerero, who lives behind his house, went unanswered, Kirk’s fears were realised.
Together with Moruga police, Kirk later found Peter lying under his bed, dead, inside his galvanise shack near the La Lune Beach.
Police said officers responded to a report of gunshots around 10.30 pm Tuesday and found Peter, 44, dead at his home.
Speaking at his La Lune Road home yesterday, Guerero said it was around 10.15 pm when he heard gunshots.
His wife told him it sounded like the shots had come from the back of the house but he did not think so. His neighbour then called, telling him the shots came from the back of the house.
Not thinking anything of it, he continued relaxing on his bed until he saw police vehicles drive down to the shore. The officers got out and began searching the area.
“Even before they came, I called my brother because he lives in the back there, to see if he would answer and know what was going on and if something happened in the back there or something not concerning him. It went straight to voice mail, it never rang,” Guerero said.
He called Peter’s phone three times but got the same response. With the area leading to the beach in darkness, Guerero waited for the police to pass by his home and stopped the vehicles. He informed the officers that they heard gunshots at the back of his house. He told the officers his brother lived there and asked them to accompany him.
Guerero and the officers used flashlights to navigate the bushy area and as they came upon the shack, they noticed bullet holes in the galvanised sheets.
“I realised the shots were really at my brother’s house or around it. I looked around and the door in the back was open. I moved the curtain, and when I looked, I saw him on the ground under the bed outside and in blood.”
Guerero said it appeared his brother tried to hide under his bed when the gunman began firing. He had no idea who wanted his brother dead.
He said Peter was a painter and had a house painting to do in Maraval yesterday. He said Peter lived in St Joseph, Tobago and several other places before coming to Moruga.
Guerero did not know Peter to have enemies in the community. He also does not believe it was a robbery as his brother did not have much money.