Leon Samuel, whose bullet-riddled body was found at the side of the road yesterday afternoon, fought for his life to the bitter end as he was found grasping at blades of grass.
According to police, Samuel, 33, whose last address was at Balthazar Street, Tunapuna, was found around 1 pm by passersby along the Caroni South Bank Road. Police said Samuel was shot six times, four in the head and twice in the chest.
Investigators said they believe Samuel was alive at the side of the road and may have struggled with his killer/s and in a desperate attempt to save his life clung to a patch of grass.
Speaking with the T&T Guardian at her Tunapuna home, a female relative of Samuel said she had just returned to the country and that his father was due to leave last night to attend a memorial for his deceased mother.
The woman added that Samuel was an avid traveller who moved out of the home a few years ago.
Police believe the killing was not as a result of robbery but due to some illegal activities that Samuel may have been involved in.
They added that they could not say what exactly it was but given the number of times he was shot and the fact that some valuables were found on him, Samuel was most likely to be involved in something nefarious that ultimately led to his death.
In another discovery yesterday, officers of the Northern Division were called to the scene of a fully charred remains of a human found in a pile of rubbish off the Caura Royal Road.
The body was so badly burnt that only the skull and parts of the person’s rib cage were found.
Police said they received a call around 10 am that the skeletal remains had been found, reportedly by villagers.
When the T&T Guardian visited the scene, the remains were nestled in some burn debris behind a mountain of dirt, off the road way with no houses for miles.
The entrance to the site was also blocked by a large boulder. Police say only DNA match and dental records will be able to confirm the identity.