Minutes after Ravi Maniedeo said goodbye to his mother and brother on New Year’s Day, he was killed near his home at Old Longdenville Road. Maniedeo, 27, a truck driver, was shot in the head as he got out of his car outside his apartment.
His brother, Sarosh, said Maniedeo had spent the evening with him and their mother visiting family and friends in Santa Cruz. Half an hour after he dropped them off at their Sou Sou Lands, Carlsen Field, home on Friday, police came to tell them that he had been murdered.
Police said the fatal shooting took place at around 9.20 pm just after Maniedeo arrived at his apartment, which is located behind the Longdenville General Hardware. As he was about to get out of his black Honda Accord sedan, a gunman dressed in a white armless jersey, black 3/4 pants and wearing a mask approached and fired a single shot. The killer fled the scene in a silver Nissan Tiida with a Superman symbol on the front windscreen, heading towards Chaguanas, eyewitnesses said.
Maniedeo was found slumped over the steering wheel of his car by neighbours who contacted police. He was taken to the Chaguanas District Health Facility where he died while being treated. His car was towed to the Chaguanas Police Station for further processing.
A police team led by Insp Jackman and including Sgt Toolaram, Sgt James and Sgt Jodhan processed the scene and launched a search for the suspect but up to yesterday no one had been held.
Sarosh, who works with Maniedeo at the family-owned Diamond Stockpile, said his brother was quiet and was not involved in anything illegal that would explain his murder. He believes the killer mistook Maniedeo for someone else.
“I saw him right before he died. Earlier in the day he came and picked up my mom and I, and we went to Santa Cruz to visit family and friends. He dropped us off and left around 9 pm. Minutes later police came by and they said he was shot. They did not say how bad it was and our family went to the Chaguanas Health Centre. I don’t think he was still alive when we reached there.
“He spent New Year’s with us. We had dinner as a family and he was normal. We worked together, he drove my truck. He wasn’t involved in anything bad or dealt with the wrong kind of people. It looked like they mistook him for someone else.
“Even police can’t find a motive. This is the saddest thing because he was so good, I can’t even say anything bad about him. Right now my mom and dad are taking it hard. They don’t want to even see anybody.”
Sarosh said his brother had planned to start a hardware business this year.
Maniedeo’s neighbours expressed shock at his murder. They described him as a quiet, decent man.