Robbery was motive for beating to death of NY Guyanese granddad

-two countrymen charged with murder
A Guyanese immigrant last week was beaten to death and robbed allegedly by a cab driver and his friend and dumped on a dark street in Ozone Park, Queens, where a large number of Guyanese-Americans are settled.

Ramnarine Matadin

According to reports, Ramnarine Matadin, 58, who worked as a building superintendent in the upscale Park Slope section of Brooklyn, was drinking at a sports bar on 101 Ave in Queens when the barmen noticed that he was intoxicated and called the Royal Car & Limo Services for a cab to take the man home. New York State is very strict on drinking and driving.

Reports say three hours after the 10:30 pm phone call, a passerby found Matadin lifeless on Arion Road, in Ozone Park, a dead-end street.

Police said surveillance video showed three men getting out of the livery cab, but only two of them stepped back inside. The video also captured the cab’s licence plate, leading to the arrest of two suspects.

Deevan Jagnarine, 21, of 123rd Avenue in Jamaica and Alex Gobardhan, 19, of 106th Street, in South Ozone Park, were charged with second-degree murder and first degree robbery, police said.

Queens District Attorney Brown said, “This is a disturbing case that ended with the death of an innocent man. These defendants now face lengthy prison terms if convicted of this senseless crime.” The defendants face up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.

The defenceless grandfather’s belongings – a wallet, a gold bracelet and a cell phone – were stolen. The gold bracelet was recovered from defendant Jagnarine’s home and a cell phone was recovered from defendant Gobardhan’s home, according to the Queens DA.

Police said Jagnarine picked up Matadin before getting his friend Gobardhan.
A law enforcement source said the men saw the late-night passenger as an “easy mark. They drove to a dark street, robbed him and knocked him to the ground with a blow to the head.“

Detectives are investigating whether Jagnarine and Gobardhan had pulled off similar crimes before.
The victim’s niece, Bibi, was reported by the New York Daily News as saying, “It’s very scary because you’re putting your trust in a driver. They should be concerned about the drivers that they have.” Matadin, according to Daily News report, usually used a different car service, but may ~ave been too intoxicated to call one on his own.

The man’s grieving wife Bibi Matadin was quoted by the New York Daily News as saying: “He was a great, loving person. He’s the reason we’re all here. My husband was the root sponsor for everyone of my family that came to America.” Matadin leaves to mourn his wife Bibi Habiba Matadin, children Bibi Shameeza Persaud and Mohamed Matadin, grandchildren Aaron and Alisa Persaud, daughter-in-law Shabana Matadin and son-in-law Gopaul Persaud.