T&T dog trainer shot dead

(Trinidad Guardian) Disabled Claxton Bay mother of two Patricia Pegus can’t understand why anyone would want to kill her son, Aldon, a 35-year-old dog trainer/breeder, who was ambushed at his Rose Hill Street, Claxton Bay, home yesterday morning.

Aldon Pegus
Aldon Pegus

Yesterday when the T&T Guardian visited the home, homicide detectives were interviewing the victim’s wife, Nicole Lamont, 32, and other witnesses. Pegus’ mother appeared shell-shocked yesterday as she sat in the porch of the house. “He was never, never, never in any trouble,” she said. “He never received any threats, to my knowledge…I don’t think anyone have any reason to harm him.”

Police are yet to determine a motive for the murder. Pegus lamented that she was yet to see the spot where her son was killed. Pointing to her walking stick leaning against a wall, the 52-year-old woman said: “My left side stiff so I does use the stick to walk. “Up to now I ain’t reach downstairs to see where my child get shoot,” she added. She said she was in her bed when she heard the shots but could not get up because of her disability. According to police reports, at around 7.45 am, Aldon Pegus went outside his home to feed his six dogs, including three pit bulls, as was his normal routine.

He opened his front gate to move his car when he was confronted by a gunman dressed in a white T-shirt and a three quarter jeans. Pegus was shot seven times—four times in the chest and three in the back. The gunman ran down the street and jumped into a waiting car on the Southern Main Road. The wounded man called out to his wife who was asleep in the house at the time. She ran outside, found Pegus lying in a pool of blood and began screaming for help. Pegus’ mother said her daughter-in-law begged people to help her take the injured man to the hospital. She said she believed her son would have survived if he had arrived at the hospital in time.

“My daughter-in-law start bawling for help and they telling she doh move him, wait for the ambulance,” she said. “He have two cars…If they had put him in the car and carry him he would be alive.” By the time the wounded arrived at hospital, it was too late. He was pronounced dead on arrival. Couva police and members of the Southern Division Homicide Bureau are continuing investigations.