In T&T: Husband killed by masked men, wife critical

John Joel “JJ” Samaroo, 53, and wife Swarsatee “Susan” Samaroo attacked at their business place at Section Two Road, Four Roads, Tamana

(Trinidad Express) Criminals stabbed and slit the throats of a Tamana couple on Thursday night.

John “JJ” Samaroo, 53, and wife Swarsatee “Susan” Samaroo were attacked at their mini mart at Section Two Road, Four Roads.

Joel Samaroo bled to death outside the shop.

His wife was helped by neighbours and taken to hospital She underwent surgery last night.

The couple has three daughters and four grandchildren.

Joel Samaroo had lived in the village all his life and was married for 33 years.

One of their daughters, Shannon Samaroo told the Express what she heard happened:

“My dad has a routine where he would put out the garbage every night. He went outside to put out the garbage and lock up. People were liming on the junction, liming and playing music a little way off. Two guys jumped out from the bushes across the road. They were dressed in black. They were with masks and gloves, they had guns in their hands. My father noticed they jumped out of the bushes and they were coming towards him. He was shocked and he started to curse at them. He started to run inside and they started to stab him in his back”, she said.

“I don’t know if one dragged him back inside or one went inside to meet my mom, not sure, but somehow my father ended up back outside. They kneeled down on his back and slit his throat.  One of the guys kneeled down on his back and just like in the movies they pulled his head back and slit his throat”.

“My mom saw what was going on. She tried to lock the gate and they stabbed her in her hands and got inside. She tried to fight them off. Her throat was slit. There was a white car Almera parked nearby and they ran off. I think some people nearby noticed what was happening and they (thieves) ran off. Two ladies ended up walking to the shop to see, and called out to my mom. She was on the ground and she started to shake up one of the snack racks and tried to get their attention and they ended up in the shop”.

“They took her and rushed her to the hospital. The ambulance met them half way” the daughter said.

Shannon said her mother underwent surgery last night and is warded at a hospital Intensive Care Unit under police guard.

“I don’t know what they took or not because we haven’t gotten to go inside as yet. They have it locked up. I feel it was a robbery but the bandits got confused after a while. I don’t know if they were looking for a large amount of money”, she said.

She said her father would have turned 54-years-old on July 2.