Hope’s Killer Commits Suicide

Sunil Ali
Sunil Ali (Photo Credit: newsday.co.tt)

Sunil Ali, the man charged with the murder of eight year old Hope Arismandez, has committed suicide in his cell at Remand Yard Prison, Port of Spain.

Hope’s killer hangs himself

By Rhondor Dowlat
Saturday, May 31 2008

YESTERDAY evening, hours before his victim eight-year-old Hope Arismandez was to be given her final farewell, her killer Sunil Ali, 28, slashed both his wrists with a razor blade and hanged himself with a bed sheet in his prison cell at the Remand Yard, Golden Grove Prison, in Arouca.

Sources said inmates in cells nearby raised an alarm and Ali was found by prisons officers hanging from the ventilation blocks of his Number 7 cell, located at the Top Security Block on the Eastern side of the Remand Yard.

Prisons officers, police said, had checked on Ali at about 6.30 pm, but ten minutes later he had ended his life.

Police Commissioner Trevor Paul confirmed the incident and said he despatched a party of police officers to the prison for further investigations.

“Yes what you are hearing is true,” he said. “He was found hanging and his wrists slit, however, the officers are at the prison and they would have more detailed information than I do at this moment,” Paul said.

A prisons officer told Newsday Ali used the bed sheet on his cot to commit suicide.

The source said he tied it around a brick hole by the ventilation blocks, then tied the other end around his neck.

The officer said that Ali stood on the pail, that is used by prisoners as a toilet, slashed both his wrists with a razor blade and kicked the pail from under him.

The inmates close to his cell saw him hanging and the blood on his clothes and on the floor of the cell and raised an alarm. However, by the time officers got there Ali was already dead. He was clad in a vest and a pair of short pants.

The officers cut the body down and placed it on the floor.

Prisons Commissioner John Rougier, accompanied by other senior prisons officers, a party of senior police officers and the District Medical Officer Dr Vinod Mahabir visited the scene.

The body was removed to the Forensic Science Centre where a special autopsy is expected to be conducted today. Investigators said they could not say where Ali got the razor blade. An investigation is expected to be launched.

Asked about Ali’s mood after he was brought to the prison on Thursday evening following his first court appearance at the Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court that morning, the prisons officer said, “Well, first of all, we placed him in a cell on his own to avoid him being harmed by other inmates. We also monitored him at intervals to ensure that he was alright. However, I was told that last night (Thursday night) he was being mocked by inmates around him. As a result, he may have slipped into a state of depression.”

The officer said other inmates told them that Ali had threatened to kill himself.

One of Hope’s relatives said the family felt a sense of relief when they heard the news.

“I was relieved that Sunil decided to end his life. While Sunil should have faced justice in the court, he had taken the easy way out. When we heard the news, there was a sense of relief in the family that fate had taken charge,” the relative said. Newsday was told that Hope’s mother Sherma Rajoon fainted when she heard the news.

Ali lived with Rajoon and her daughter Hope at her home at Umesh Drive, Lime Head Road in Chase Village and Ali was the last person to be seen with Hope before she disappeared. Hope went missing on Saturday night last. Her small body was found on Tuesday in a canefield which runs parallel to Pierre Road, Charlieville.

She had been raped, battered and beaten and her throat slit.

Ali was questioned and taken into police custody. He was eventually charged on Wednesday night for the child’s murder.

Earlier yesterday, Prisons Commissioner John Rougier confirmed that he had given instructions for special security measures to be put in place at the Remand Yard for Ali.

Rougier said the special arrangements were decided upon because of the high risk of the prisoner being harmed by other inmates.

“Ali saw how the public reacted at the court and we thought that it would be the same way that the inmates would react. It was our resonsibility to ensure that Ali was protected and that he was not injured,” Rougier said.

“If anything happened to him inside the prison walls, we are responsible,” he said.

Outside the Chaguanas Magistrates Court on Thursday, Ali was jeered by scores of people, mainly women. He was also threatened by prisoners who were being brought to court that morning. Many prisoners told Ali that he would pay for what he had done.

Hope’s funeral service will be held today at the St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, St Mary’s Junction, Freeport at 10 am. Relatives have decided against having an open-casket funeral and instead the girl’s body will be placed in a sealed coffin.

Hope’s body will then be cremated at the Waterloo Cremation Site in Carapichaima.

http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,79905.html

Hope’s killer found hanging in cell

By Adrian Boodan
Saturday 31st May, 2008
guardian.co.tt

SUNIL ALI, the man charged with the murder of eight-year-old Hope Arismendez, committed suicide at the Remand Yard of the Golden Grove State Prison yesterday afternoon.

Reports revealed that Ali, 28, was found hanging in his cell. Another report revealed that he had a slit throat.

Ali’s death was confirmed by prison and police officials last night.
Continue to ‘Hope’s killer found hanging in cell’

Child killer takes own life in prison

By Gyasi Gonzales
Saturday 31st May, 2008
trinidadexpress.com

SUNIL ALI, the man charged for the murder of eight-year-old Hope Arismandez, was found hanging in his cell at the Golden Grove Prison in Arouca shortly before 6.30 p.m. yesterday. (See Page 4)

Prison sources said that Ali, 28, was found hanging from a line in the cell and bleeding from one of his wrists, which had been slit.

He had spent his first night at the top security Remand Section of the prison in isolation from other inmates, amid threats that he would more than likely receive “natural justice immediately” if allowed into the general population, a prison officer told the Express yesterday.
Continue to: ‘Child killer takes own life in prison’

Hope Arismandez
Hope Arismandez

The little girl’s battered and bruised body was found in a canefield in the village of Petersfield, on the outskirts of Felicity, late last evening.

Hope was raped, buggered and stabbed to death. Her semi-nude body was left on a dirt road in the canefield, which runs parallel to Pierre Road, Charlieville.

Homicide detectives disclosed that there was a stab-wound to the anus and a knife was recovered from the canefield.
Continue to: ‘Hope is Dead’

26 thoughts on “Hope’s Killer Commits Suicide”

  1. Seems a bit odd, reportedly slashed his wrists AND hung himself? In a “secure” prison cell. Unfortunately this death will not be investigated, but there may well be another murderer walking amongst us

  2. I HOPE THE MOTHER WONT BE THE NEXT ONE TO COMMIT SUICIDE BECAUSE I FIND HER SO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WHOLE INCIDENT. ANYTHING IN A HOUSE WILL BE MORE ATTRACTIVE TO A 28 YEAR OLD MAN THAN A WOMAN 20 YEARS OLDER THAN HIM. MOTHERS NEED TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THEIR CHILDREN. THEY NEED TO KNOW WHEN ITS TIME TO REST. A MAN IS NOT A NECESSITY IN A HOUSE.

  3. News at 10 p.m. on TV6 said that Sunil slashed his wrists and hung himself. That is so unbelievable.

    If this story is true, then the prison officials are extremely careless. They knew they had to isolate and watch Sunil as it was expected that he would either try to take is own life or that someone in prison would try to kill him.

    I think it is utterly disgraceful that the system could not have protected and watched over Sunil to ensure he got a fair trial. Society lost an opportunity to get more of the circumstances surrounding this crime and understand what could have driven a person to such a heinous act (if he was indeed the murderer). This society is still in a sorry, Hope-less state (pun intended).

  4. he killed himself a pack of shit. am really disappointed with the justice system in the islands. In the US he would have been chained down and watched under close supervision. I would have liked for him to get a fair trial without any leniency or another inmate one that is serving a life sentence could have just killed him for my part one. He is in already he have nothing to lose. A beautiful aspiring BLACK youth is growing up, you , because of your perverted sick mind raped, sodomized, tortured and killed her to satisfy your demons then kill yourself. How sad and careless of the turn-keys

  5. Another restless soul freed by his own evil hand to roam the earth, the homeland, and help reap a harvest of destruction for the Evil One. Now, who handed him the rope? Who supplied the cutting instrument? Was this sick mind terrorized into ending his own life? Two investigations are needed. How did this happen in a maximum security cell? and Was the mother complicit in the “interference” with her daughter? The overtly adult-like pictures of Hope, one in Newsday, and three in Express suggests not a child of eight but a young woman. Who chose these clothes to be pictured in? Who helped her pose for them? Where did her childhood go? Serious answers to these questions may save another child now being groomed to satisfy the lust of her mother’s young lover. God Help Us.

  6. Ali was supposed to be under suicide watch. But he hanged himself (with what?) and cut his wrists (how?). People should not die in custody and Ali’s death raises disturbing questions about the competence of our prison authorities. Further, we do not really know what evidence would have been presented in court. It is possible, and perhaps probable, that Ali was innocent. If so, then a dangerous predator is walking about in our midst, under cover of the mob yelling for Ali.

  7. I live in Trinidad and although I am disgusted with sunil, Its so disturbing to see that he was murdered in prision, sunil eh kill himself. they kill him.

  8. Do they really expect us to believe that sunil killed himself? There are three possibilities to this incident:
    1. Sunil was ALLOWED to kill himself
    2. Someone with access killed him
    3. The prison authorities are so incompetent that they cannot secure ONE prisoner
    Which is it?

  9. This is a terrible ordeal that occur to this child. i am happy he took his life, because those inmates would surly take good care of this monster. This also teaches mothers not to leave their child or children with any stranger, regardless who they are. The law in trinidad should implement strick laws on any one who commit a crime such as rape murder and kidnapping should be put in death chambers. No if or butt. Trinidad is a beautiful island and predators like this guy should never exist. Thank god he took his life because he don’t deserve to be living on earth.

  10. I do not wish to put down my brothers and sisters who comment on this issue, or others, but when we accept that other prisoners”would take care of him” we are subscribing to the same degenerate behaviour that daily brutalizes our society.

    At some point, the killing has to stop.At some point we have to begin to recognize others humanity, even when they seem like warped souls. While I would like to probe what led to this, his abuse of Hope, the mother’s apparent unawareness of it, and his “taking his own life”, I cannot wish that he or any other accused be abused by other prisoners.
    Arresting the downhill slide into the cesspool of corrupt and degenerate behaviour has to begin with people knowledgeable enough to at least type one sentence.

    I have children, and more than thirty nieces and nephews, all adults, many of whom have small children. What I want for them, is what I want for all of humanity. I do not want to believe that I am alone on the planet in feeling this way.

  11. This is a horrible thing that happened to that young girl. Looking at her in pictures reminds me of my 9 year old cousin and when I heard the news from my mother I wanted to cry. He lucky he took his own life because that’s the easy way out. I hope and pray that all mothers all over the world will pay attention to this story ” don’t let any and anybody come into your homes regardless of who they are especially when there are young kids in the homes”. Forget about love for that man and remember your love for your kids, it is much stronger than any love that any man could ever give to you.
    And this is for the Government of Trinidad and Tobago: Looking in from the outside in looks really bad just imagine a small island like this and the amount of crimes I mean “COME ON MAN DO SOMETHING”. All I want to know way do hell that man get that thing to kill himself? where was the police officers. That man should suffered for the rest of his life but i know God will take care of that when he comes face to face with him

  12. How is it that people are more concerned about where he got whatever to kill himself, well I hope he asked or was givend or found all the right stuff. Because if it was your kid , you would’nt be saying that right now.

  13. Growing up in Trinidad we are all familiar with individuals in every village, suburb and city who demonstrated behavior that seemed “abnormal”. These individuals became the objects of humor, ridicule and amusement for everyone.
    The time has come to treat these individuals as psychologically deranged persons and provide mental health services for them. Mental Health services should be provided along with a comprehensive information program and referral service, serving not only communities but schools.
    It seems obvious that many of the crimes being committed in T&T are as a result of mentally incompetent persons being allowed to roam freely without identification, intervention and treatment.
    T&T is in a position to afford this and just maybe horrible crimes and rampant suicides would be avoided .After all, Sunil Ali was recognized by relatives and neighbors as being somewhat strange and manifesting deviant behavior from the early stages of his life.

  14. How Sunil Ali died
    ON FRIDAY evening Sunil Ali used a makeshift cloth clothesline hanging in his prison cell to make a noose, into which he tiptoed to put his neck. He then slit both his wrists with a razor blade. Using his body weight, Ali leaned forward and hanged himself while bleeding profusely from his wrists, well placed sources in the Ministry of National Security said yesterday.

    Suicide or murder at Cell 7?
    Homicide officers probing the death of Sunil Ali, the man charged with the murder of eight-year-old Hope Arismandez, yesterday quizzed several high risk prisoners at the Top Security Section of the Maximum Security Prison Golden Grove, as family members claimed that Ali did not commit suicide, but was murdered.

  15. Why would anyone care for Sunil is beyond me. I was so mad at this nonsense down there it ain’t funny. Why are mothers allowing their girl children to go out with men who are not their fathers. Nonsense! Irresponsibily! Akil Chambers, Anna Annamathudo and now Hope Arismandez. Its like these children don’t matter.

  16. We don’t know that Sunil was guilty. He was only accused, but never tried. The authorities have failed us again. Another nasty crime goes unpunished and untried in a proper court because the authorities did not do their job. If there was ever a case for beefing up interventions to help the wayward and defenceless, this is it. Hope might be alive now if we had services to prevent the development of sociopaths and predators. Services like enough counsellors and psychologists in our schools; trained personnel in our prisons, orphanages and courts; and adequately staffed and equipped social services. It is not as if these were not achievable.

  17. The entire situation with Hope’s murder and Sunil’s suicide (?) shows exactly how low our society in Trinidad has become! What happened to Hope was barbaric, evil and downright digusting! I cannot even comprehend the pain that she endured before her life was snuffed out.
    However there are lessons to be learnt from this.

    As soon as Hope’s body was found, immediately people started to complain about the Government. The Government CANNOT be held accountable for EVERY murder. Furthermore, it is not realistic to place a policeman on every corner to ensure that evil acts like this does not take place in the home; unlike what some members of the public would like to believe. What the government is guilty of is not providing efficient child care services. The papers noted that Hope’s mother worked 2 jobs to make ends meet. We could all lay blame and say why couldnt her siblings or biological father take care of her…but were they available as well? Unfortunately, Hope’s mother trusted the wrong person, perhaps without any better alternative.

    Secondly, although the police were successful in getting Sunil to confess, the SYSTEM failed miserably to give Ms Rajoon justice. How could a confessed murderer, who was placed on suicide watch …still slit both wrists AND hang himself? Someone was not doing their job properly, no checks to the cell were made prior to Sunil’s arrival or as I suspect…someone assisted in his suicide or he was MURDERED. I have no sympathy for Sunil, but his mysterious death highlights the incompetence of our police and prison service!!!!!!!!!!!

    It also highlights the issue of race. For far too long I have heard people of East Indian origin claim that men of African origin stalk the land raping the vulnerable. Low and behold in this situation it is an East Indian man. It just goes to show that a person of ANY RACIAL BACKGROUND is capable of such evil!

    Furthermore, residents of Central have been claiming that outsiders especially from the ‘North’ have been coming into Central and committing crime, but this Monster came from Central himself!!!!!!!!

    We must learn from this TERRIBLE act and plan our next course of action as a nation…CRIME AFFECTS US ALL!

  18. My condolences goes out to the Ragoon and Arismendez family and those who were close to her. Parents this tragic story is a wake up call for the children of the nation. Don’t matter what you are going through please try to come together for the sake of your children. How many wake up call must we have. the more we have is the more young life being snatched away. it so sad i don’t know Hope but i have a sister who is eight years old and it reminds of hope. In my eyes she is still a baby and will always be my baby and i will always remember this pretty little baby girl call Hope.

  19. A ‘convenient’ death
    Wednesday, June 4 2008
    THE death of alleged child killer Sunil Ali found hanging in his prison cell on Friday might satisfy the public’s demand for swift retribution for the heinous rape and murder of eight-year-old Hope Arismandez, but it also raises new disturbing issues.

  20. i am very glad he kill himself or somebody murder i doh really care de main point he did de family ah favour because all these people who talking about how he kill himself if it was your child what would u say ….so i am glad not sad glad because he would have been in jail sitting there for years, and them judge would be trying to figure why he did …steupzzz.Waste of time done away with him now is time for the family to heal.My heart goes out to the family and especially them mom i feel your pain so everybody should stop bashing her

  21. Blade in Islamic book
    Prison officers probing the death of murder accused Sunil Ali have been told that one hour before Ali was found dead in his cell, an Islamic book was thrown into his cell. That book contained a razor blade which they believed he used to slash his two wrists.

  22. RE: Sunil not being tried in a proper court, oh he will be tried ,by the most High God.

  23. Prisons officers ‘gagged’ on Sunil Ali’s cell death
    Prisons Commissioner John Rougier placed “a gag order” on prison officers telling them to “desist from making any pronouncements on the death of inmate Sunil Ali,” according to Michael Williams, President of the Prisons Officers Association.

    Cops: Hope’s killer killed himself
    HOMICIDE Bureau detectives assigned to probe the death of murder accused Sunil Ali, 28, have passed on the case to Arouca police as they believe Ali committed suicide and was not murdered.

  24. i felt sorry for both victims, even animals being killed and tortured, and these are humans. instead of judging others, we need to judge ourselves. world needs to show honor with life. the world needs to wake up from sleeping with the vices

  25. A beautiful aspiring BLACK youth is growing up, you , because of your perverted sick mind raped, sodomized, tortured and killed her to satisfy your demons then kill yourself. How sad and careless of the turn-keys

    I do not believe her race makes his act worse than it is. The converse interms of victim and perp would be just as horrible. What is deafening in this room is the sound of those who come in here and make statements that only black people commit crimes. Yes, you know who you are, you sad SOBs.

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