Head of the Northern Division Task Force (NDTF), Insp Roger Alexander, says a bounty should be placed on the head of fugitive Azmon Alexander, the man now deemed to be the main suspect in the disappearance and murders of a Brasso Seco family. He made the call yesterday, saying such an incentive could help the police capture the man who has eluded them for the past two weeks. During an interview on i95 FM yesterday, Alexander said it was time such an initiative be considered and he was willing to speak to acting Commissioner of Police, Stephen Williams to bring his plan to fruition.
Alexander escaped from police custody from the Mayaro Magistrates Court on January 31 after he appeared on charges of kidnapping and robbery and was reportedly hiding out in the Paria district.
On Monday, police said Alexander, alias “Pappi” and “Apalon,” of Bye-Pass Road, Arima, was “a person of interest” in the disappearance of the family and the deaths of two members and another man who went missing two days after the family was reportedly abducted. On October 26, Irma Rampersad, 49, and her daughters Felicia Gonzales, 17, a student of Malabar Secondary School, and Jenelle Gonzales, 19, and her 14-month-old granddaughter Shania Amoroso were abducted from their Brasso Seco home.
The following day they were reported missing by Felix Martinez, who said he awoke to find a kitchen window broken and the women and child missing. Two days later Martinez went missing but was believed to have been hunting. Martinez’ body was found along with that of baby Shania wrapped in a sleeping bag last Saturday. An autopsy on their remains on Tuesday revealed Martinez was strangled. The autopsy on Shania was inconclusive because of the advanced state of decomposition.
Yesterday, Alexander said they should consider offering a bounty on his head in order to help facilitate his capture. He added: “As far as I am concerned he is the most wanted in T&T and I intend to approach the commissioner and ask that a bounty be placed on him so that persons would be willing to give information on him whether he appears or he comes in any location in T&T. “We cannot have an individual like that roaming the streets. There are persons involved in this as young as 14 months old. “Knowing the commissioner as I do, I think he will have no problem in considering it. “We need this individual, because he could enter another community and do the same thing. Until this individual is caught I don’t think anyone is safe in this country.”
Grandmom strangled
On Tuesday, Rampersad’s body was found in the forest off Paria Mt Bleu Road, Brasso Seco. An autopsy yesterday revealed she too had been strangled. Family members identified her body from the clothing she was wearing but DNA samples will be sent for confirmation. Rampersad’s body was found three days after her granddaughter and Martinez. Yesterday, the search for Rampersad’s two missing daughters ended unsuccessfully at 5 pm.
Alexander said during the interview that people in this country liked money, adding he would support the lure of money for helpful information. “I think in this country it is time for that type of intervention. People like money, and it is Christmas, so if is money they like, let us present money for them for the information, once it is good information that could bring persons before the court.
“I will support something like that because in this world nobody wants to do something for nothing.” Calls to both Williams and National Security Minister Gary Griffith went unanswered yesterday.
