The mother of murdered Cedros probation officer, Krysta Lackpatsingh, broke down in tears yesterday after the man accused of stabbing her daughter to death 12 years ago was found guilty and sentenced to hang.
It was after an hour and 20 minutes of deliberation that the 12-member jury in the San Fernando First Assizes returned with a guilty verdict against Jason Housten.
Asked by the court officer whether he wished to say anything before sentence is passed, Housten, 36, said: “No, Sir.”
As he was being escorted to prison, Housten, who claimed someone had threatened to kill him and his brother if he did not confess to killing Krysta, 23, smiled for photographers outside the court.
Speaking with reporters afterwards, Krysta’s mother, Jade Lackpatsingh, called on the Government to enforce the death penalty.
Wiping away tears, Lackpatsingh, who along with her husband Steve attended the trial every day said: “I believe in the death penalty. I think that is why Trinidad is the way it is now. People feel they can do what they want and get away. She (Krysta) was young and had so much to live for.”
She said her daughter, who was attached to the Point Fortin Magistrates Court, had returned home early that fateful day to type up a report on the family’s computer because a computer had not yet been installed at work.
The parents, who found their daughter’s body in a pool of blood at their Lime Field Road home when they returned from work, said for a long time they avoided walking in the area they found her body. “It felt like we walking on her,” said Jade.
After all these years, the parents, both teachers, said her room remained untouched and her clothes were still in her drawers. The father said they placed a table with a picture of Krysta in the area where she died. And every time he passes he says “girl I hope you rest in peace.”
He said every year on her death anniversary they would put a new ornament on the table.
State attorneys Shabaana Shah and Stacy Laloo-Chong led evidence from 12 witnesses during the trial which started before Justice Carla Brown-Antoine in May.
Housten confessed to the police, detailing how he forced his way into the Lackpatsingh’s home on January 20, 2004, and stabbed her more than 20 times.
He spoke about how he took a kitchen knife, stabbed her repeatedly as she begged for her life. blood spilled out of her. He told police he went upstairs where he He stole $1,500 from a purse and came back downstairs where he used a wet towel to wipe off his bloody hand and foot prints.
Housten, who was represented by attorneys Rekha Ramjit and Gina Ramjohn, did not deny giving the police oral and written statements.
However, he claimed his cellmate and fellow villager who was also detained by police in connection with Krysta’s murder, threatened to kill him if he did not take the rap.
He said while they were in the station cell together the man told him what to tell the police. Under cross-examination however, Housten admitted he made up certain parts of the his statement, but he denied killing Krysta.
Among the officers involved in the investigations were ASP Paul, ASP Paloo, Insp Flaveny, Cpl Ramtoole, Cpl Hood and others.