A Laventille pensioner was raped and killed at her home yesterday after returning from her routine church service. Her killing drew outrage from residents who saw when the killers escaped. The victim was identified as Norma Holder, 74, a live wire in the community, who lived alone. An eyewitnesses said he noticed two men pacing in front of her home, located opposite a gas station operated by the T&T Police Service Social and Welfare Association, along the Eastern Main Road.
“One of them was actually seen in her yard. Mrs Holder's neighbour asked him what he was doing in Tanty’s yard but got no response. The men just disappeared after that so maybe that is why we thought they had left," the witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. The man said about 10 am, Holder drove into her garage and was later seen walking to the upper floor of her house.
"We heard nothing. We saw no strange activities at least when she came home. It was only a while after we noticed one of the two men we had seen earlier jump the wall on the eastern side and the other man ran across the road in front of Tanty's house and dashed through an alley."
"That was when we suspected that something had happened. One of her neighbour's began calling out to her but she did not answer. Other people around came out but no one dared to go across to her house, so I decided to go and check to see if she was ok." The man said as he approached the steps of the house he saw a broken Guinness bottle. "I know for a fact that Tanty don't drink alcohol so I knew something was fishy. I called out to her several times after that and still there was no answer."
He added that as he entered the main part of the house he heard water running so he again called out to her and again, no answer. "I walked to a bedroom and that was when I discovered Tanty lying on the bed. She still had on her church clothes but her dress was rolled up. Her face was covered with a cloth, soaked in blood. I watched closely and saw that he throat was cut open. She was not breathing and that was when I ran out and shouted for the neighbors around to call the police."
Holder, who was slender built and brown in complexion, was described as a friendly woman and one who always practiced safety. "Living on the main road, she was always careful whenever she drove her car in and out of her yard. She was always seen doing yard work as well. She was a very pleasant woman," one neighbour said. Holder was also described as a woman, who loved God and was full of life.
She was said to be an active in the Senior Activities Centre at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). Officers of the Besson Street Police Station are continuing investigations.
Teen gunned down
On Friday, Salim Dalzell, 17, was gunned down by two armed men, as he walked out of the compound of the Success/Laventille Composite School at about 2.45 pm. That incident occurred in front of teachers and pupils.