Senior Reporter
anna-lisa.paul@guardian.co.tt
Autopsies on the bodies of two Hispanic women found in a shallow grave in central Trinidad on Wednesday night, have listed the official cause of death as manual strangulation and asphyxia due to smothering.
The victims, both believed to be in their 20s, were found around 11.30 pm in an agricultural plot at Ramsaran Trace, Warren Road, Cunupia.
Acting on information, officers from the National Special Operations Unit (NSOU) led by ACP Crime, Richard Smith went to the location and found a disturbed area approximately 42 feet from the roadway.
Upon investigating, officers found the bodies of the two women lying beside each other in a shallow grave estimated to be about four feet deep. The heads of both women had been bubble-wrapped and one of them had her hands bound.
An appeal by the police for people from the Spanish-speaking migrant community to assist in identifying the victims has so far been futile.
Investigators had said jewellery found on the bodies would be used to assist with identification but following the autopsies, pictures of the victims are expected to be published in the hope that persons will come forward.
Smith yesterday said the women suffered greatly.
“They would have choked them and then wrapped the plastic around their neck and smothered them to death. It would have been painful and frightening for them,” he said.
Smith added, “While we will investigate to the best of our ability, their status at this time will not have an impact in determining how the police do their jobs in bringing those responsible, to account for their heinous crime.”
He said the investigations were at a sensitive stage.
“This type and style of killing is quite new to us, with the wrapping of the head and even smothering them to death,” he admitted.
Recalling how he felt as he looked at the victims in the shallow grave, Smith said couldn’t help but wonder about the persons responsible for their deaths.
“While they are human they couldn’t have an ounce of humanity in them as they would have watched these women take their last breath. It is quite inhumane and for this purpose, it would be safe to say they are animals,” he said.
Smith said the area where the bodies were found comprised primarily of farm lands and there were no houses nearby.
“It is quite conducive for criminals who want to commit these kinds of acts and dump bodies in these areas.
“A lot of vehicles that were stolen have been recovered in areas like these because it is underpopulated,” he said
Smith said between 2017 and 2020, when he was assigned to the Central Division, there were several cases of bodies being dumped, which resulted in the police increasing patrols.
“We have spoken to the executive of the Central Division and they are in fact going to be increasing patrols in those areas, especially at Carlsen Field and Warren Road,” he said.