Sleeping pan player murdered in T&T

(Trinidad Express) Arouca detectives were yesterday investigating the shooting death of a 57-year-old man in his home last Friday night.

The death of Ronald Clarke has pushed the country’s murder toll for the year so far to 281, according to an Express tally.

Clarke was a familiar face in the steelband fraternity as he was a frontline player with Republic Bank Exodus Steel Orchestra.

He also leaves behind a son who is an announcer at a local radio station.

Clarke worked at the National Maintenance Training and Security Company (MTS) and loved to take care of plants, his niece, Dawne Gordon, told TV6 yesterday.

Police said around 10.30 p.m., they received a call from Clarke’s 58-year-old wife that her husband had been shot dead at their Olive Vine, Bon Air West, Arouca, home.

When they visited the scene, police said they found Clarke’s lifeless body on a couch in the living room of the house.

Investigators said they were told that two men—one armed with a shotgun—entered the house while Clarke was asleep.

They took his wife into one of the bedrooms where they robbed her of an undisclosed quantity of cash and jewelry.

Gordon said the men wore bandanas across their faces.

They repeatedly threatened Clarke’s wife and after robbing the woman, police said the men shot Clarke at point-blank range to the head.

He died on the spot.

Police said after killing him, the gunmen abandoned the weapon in the house before escaping.

The shotgun was recovered by detectives when they arrived at the house.

The man’s wife was also interviewed by homicide officers.

Police said they have no motive for the killing as Clarke was not known to them.

Officers of the Region II Homicide Bureau are continuing investigations.