Determined to get their target after a failed attempt yesterday morning, two killers cornered a US deportee at a garage on the Eastern Main Road, San Juan, and fatally shot him near a pile of discarded tyres.
Police said around 3.30 pm Denzil Phillip, 46 ,of Mount Olive Drive, Bagatelle Road, Diego Martin, went to Parts Plus to have his vehicle repaired. They said about ten minutes later, two men, who eyewitnesses said were seen coming from a Nissan AD wagon that had been seen circling the business, came out and began firing at Phillip who ran in a dead end corner where discarded tyres are stored. Other workers and customers scampered for safety and luckily were not injured during the shooting.
Police said an attempt was made on Phillip’s life at his Bagatelle home earlier and he managed to escape. Phillip was charged with drug trafficking and was deported three years ago. Police said Phillip continued in the drug trade when he returned to Trinidad and might have angered a rival or a friend in the underworld, resulting in his death.
Phillip’s killing was the second yesterday—after 18-year-old Jonathan Murphy was stabbed once in the back while asleep at his home on Temple Street, St Lucien Road, Diego Martin.
Police said the teen was stabbed in the back by a 19-year-old relative, who after the stabbing was found seated on a bed in a bedroom they shared, reading his Bible.
Police said the stabbing took place around 6.15 am after Murphy’s cries alerted other relatives. One relative caught Murphy in his arm after he collapsed, police said. Police claimed the attacker has a history of mental illness and was an avid member of the Jehovah Witness’ Kingdom Hall in the area. Several members of the church turned up at the West End Police Station to offer support for the teen, who they said had become very withdrawn recently and was keeping mostly to himself and reading his Bible.
Police said the suspect was not speaking and appeared to be “dazed out” at the police station. Officers reported that the teen suspect, after the stabbing, said that God had instructed him to stab his younger relative. Relatives of Murphy said they were at this time not in a position to speak when approached by Guardian Media both at the Forensic Science Centre and at their home. One relative confirmed though that the 19-year-old was mentally unstable.
According to Murphy’s autopsy, done by pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov, Murphy was stabbed in the left lung with the knife being buried seven inches deep. He died as a result of massive blood loss.
