A drug cartel is believed to be behind the abduction and murder of Freeport mother Anita Mohammed, whose mutilated remains were discovered at No. 9 Petrotrin Field Road near oil pump No. 481 in Santa Flora five months ago.
Mohammed, 45, of Raphael Road, Freeport, had been tortured before she was killed. Her fingers, toes and genitals were also cut off. Although police were working on a major clue in the investigation, nobody has been arrested or charged with the murder.
Mohammed had been reported missing on December 20th and eight days later her remains were found but at that time there was no confirmation of her identity. The body, minus its hands and feet, was so badly decomposed that her children Chelsea, 20 and son Tristan, 19, could not identify her. Tissue samples were taken for testing and toxicology tests were also done.
Unwilling to believe the remains belonged to her mother, Chelsea took to Facebook begging TSTT to release her mother’s cellular phone records so they could get the identity of the person she last spoke with at the time of her abduction. It was only yesterday that head of corporate communications of the T&T Police Service, Ellen Lewis, confirmed the forensic analysis done of the remains showed they belonged to Mohammed. She was eventually identified by her uncle.
Chelsea and Tristan were not available for comment yesterday. However, a close family source said Mohammed’s death confirmed their suspicion that the drug cartel was involved in her murder. Prior to her disappearance, Mohammed had become distant to her extended family and neighbours. Her husband died five years before, leaving the family heavily in debt.
Mohammed reportedly became depressed started working at a bakery to pay off outstanding loans. She could not bear to sell their mansion at Raphael Road, Freeport, which her husband built, so she worked hard to keep it although she had difficulty maintaining the grounds and buildings. The source said Mohammed later opened her home for rent and two Spanish-speaking men moved in late last year. Strangers were often seen coming to the property located near a duck farm.
The source said two days before she disappeared, the renters were heard arguing loudly and a woman could be heard crying. Mohammed never confided in her extended family and sources said her troubles were kept confidential. After her disappearance, police questioned a foreigner but there was no evidence to lay charges.
Members of the Homicide Region Three are continuing investigations.