Deaths of Trinis in New Jersey ruled as murder/suicide

(Trinidad Guardian)”What did we miss?”

This is the question that now haunts the family members of Amanda Morris after an autopsy revealed Morris and her two sons were murdered and her husband, Lyndon Beharry, committed suicide.

Morris’s eldest sister, Cadine Mohammed, who lives in Claxton Bay, said the family was baffled by the tragedy.

The family of four were found in a bedroom of their New Jersey home on Tuesday by emergency personnel who responded to a fire at the residence.

Morris, 29, and Beharry, 35 were in a 12-year common law relationship. Their sons—Brandon, seven, and Brian, four, were born in New Jersey.

“What sign did we miss? This is what is hitting us hard. We didn’t have a thought to say they had a problem that he would have done this,” Mohammed told the T&T Guardian.

“We don’t know how to think, I am still trying to wrap my head around it. The baffling part is we never saw any sign; there was no indication of anything like this.”

Mohammed said the photos of the family on the Guardian’s front page on Wednesday were taken during a family trip to Atlantic City two weekends ago.

“The pictures of them on the front page, you look at those and tell me if you can see anything wrong with that family? Those pictures were taken just weekend gone, when they went on a family trip.”

As for the murder weapon, a gun, Mohammed said her guess was as good as anyone else’s.

“We have no idea where he could have gotten a gun. I know my sister and I know she would not allow a gun in the house with her children.”

Mohammed said as the eldest of five sisters, she helped take care of Morris while they were growing up. However, she may not get to tell her sister goodbye as she is experiencing problems with arrangements to travel to the US for the funerals.

“I went to the US embassy, but they told me there are no special considerations for times like these. I don’t think I’ll be able to say goodbye to my baby sister.”

Although a date has not been set for the funerals, Mohammed fears her time is running out.

“I had overstayed my time the last time I was in the US and now I feel like I will not get to see my sister one last time.”

She said the family would most likely be cremated together in New Jersey.