(Trinidad Guardian) Investigators probing the murder of used-car dealer Sheron Sukhdeo said a family member can help them solve the case.
Homicide officers said Sukhdeo, 33, had many enemies and had been repeatedly threatened as his empire grew, purchasing million-dollar properties, a fleet of sport and luxury vehicles, and even a private plane.
On Tuesday, at about 2 pm patrolling officers along the Caroni Savannah Road, near Sheron’s Auto, intercepted a vehicle and found a black plastic bag containing over $20,000 in cash from the occupants.
One of the officers told the T&T Guardian they searched one of Sheron’s used-car compounds as they received information that two men were seen walking among the vehicles.
“We are not sure if they hid anything there, so we had to search. We found nothing but we are going to escort the men to the station because they have to answer to the money and why they were in the area.”
Up to press time the men were still at the police station.
Another officer said that patrols will be beefed up in the area following Sukhdeo’s murder on Monday night outside his mother-in-law’s Charlieville home.
According to an officer, one of the cases believed to have a connection to Sukhdeo’s murder was the murder of one of his former close acquaintances Jean Pierre Assee, of Sierra Vista Drive, O’Meara Road and Nicky Joseph, 31, of Cunupia.
Assee was shot outside his business place at Ramcharan Street, St Augustine in a drive-by shooting in December 2015. Assee, who was shot in the left arm, chest and both thighs, succumbed to his injuries in January 2016.
At Assee’s wake, on January 24, 2016, Joseph, 31, of Madras Street, Cunupia was murdered in similar circumstances. Someone called him on his cellphone and as he stepped onto the road away from the wake he was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting.
In July 2017, Jelani Martin, 24, who was described as a key member of the Unruly Isis gang was killed by police outside the home of one of Sukhdeo’s relatives at Caroni Savannah Road.
It was reported that Martin was standing outside Sukhdeo’s relatives house when he was spotted by members of the Central Operations Unit. It was reported that Martin had gone to the house to collect tax (a form of payment businessmen make to criminals to forego being robbed and kidnapped).
Police said Martin, was originally from Farfan Street, Diego Martin, but moved to Crown Trace in Enterprise.
Police found $22,000 on Martin.
In November 2017, Sukhdeo’s brother, Sheldon and a female companion were both shot during a drive-by shooting in San Fernando. They survived the gun attack.
Sukhdeo, the father of two, was shot three times, was taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility where he died while undergoing treatment.
According to a police report, at about 8.30 pm Sukhdeo was liming with his wife, Rachael, and in-laws when he received a phone call.
Sukhdeo walked out of the yard on the sidewalk at the corner of Mahabir Street and Caroni Savannah Road still on the phone.
Police said the occupants of a white Nissan B-14 drove past and opened fire on him. They sped off. Sukhdeo was taken to the Chaguanas District Health Facility where he died while undergoing treatment.
News of Sukhdeo’s death spread quickly across social media.
Scores of people, including family members, close friends and employees of Sukhdeo gathered outside of the health facility to render support and to pay their respects. There was also a presence of armed uniformed and plainclothes police officers at strategic points along the Southern Main Road and around the health facility building.
At the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday, Rachael, arrived in a darkly-tinted black vehicle by her close relatives. The body was viewed by her and one of Sukhdeo’s brothers.
