Gunmen spray house with bullets leaving two men dead

By Sacha Wilson, Newsday TT

TWO men were shot and killed at Princes Town on Wednesday night outside the home of one of the victims. The killings were carried out by masked gunmen who sprayed the house with bullets. A resident of the house, a 23-year-old woman grabbed three terrified children, one of them only a month old, and hid under a bed to save their lives. A fourth child, aged nine years, was not at home at the time.

The victims were 30-year-old Arthur Sandy of Picton Road, Laventille, and his friend 29-year-old Dexter Matthews at whose house the shooting took place.

Matthews’ wife and children, whose names were not revealed by police, have since been placed in protective custody of the State. The children are aged seven years, two years and one month. None of the children was injured.

At the time of the shooting a prayer session was in progress at the Central Mission Foundation Lighthouse, which is next door. All of the participants scampered to safety.

Investigators believe the execution of Matthews, a motor car salesman who was also known by the names “Riad Abdul Kadir”, “Apache” and “Carlos Gonzales” and Sandy, also known as Arthur Sanderson, was the result of a gang dispute. They suspect Sandy was hiding out at the home of Matthews, originally of East Dry River, Laventille.

Matthews lived with his wife and children in a two-room apartment on the ground floor of Matrix Bar, at Taska Road, Princes Town.

Witnesses to the shooting told police that around 9.10 pm, Matthews was repairing his motorcar when a silver car with four occupants pulled up on the roadway in front of his yard.

Reports said three masked men armed with guns ran down the driveway and opened fire on Matthews who was killed on the spot. Sandy was walking out of the house to assist Matthews in repairing the car when he heard the gunshots.

Sandy reporedly grabbed two of the children and ordered Matthews’ wife to take them and hide under the bed.

Sandy was standing at the door when the gun men began shooting up the house with the bullets going through the open windows. Sandy was shot several times. He fell on the floor and died soon after.

The killers then returned to the waiting car and sped off.

Neighbours told Newsday yesterday that the assailants turned around the vehicle and returned to the house where they fired several more shots at the house. Police, however were unaware that the gunmen had returned to the house.

Visiting the scene was a party of officers from the Princes Town Police and the Homicie Bureau, spearheaded by ASP Krishna Maharaj and including Ag Insp Williams, Sgt Parson, Cpl Renrick and PC Noel.

Police cordoned off the area and recovered several spent shells.

The bodies were viewed by District Medical Officer Dr Moonan who ordered their removal to the Forensic Sciences Centre where post mortems were expected to be performed yesterday.

Newsday learnt that Matthews had made several reports to the police that someone was trying to kill him.

The day before his death Mathews was fined $6,000 by Justice Rajendra Narine, after he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm.

His attorney had pleaded for him not to be given a custodial sentence.

So far four persons have been killed this week and up to yesterday the murder toll for the year stood at ten.

Investigations are continuing.