(Trinidad Guardian) One of South Trinidad’s most wanted killers has been caught by police following a massive operation in the Southern Division yesterday.
The 24-year-old suspect, who was dubbed a contract killer by investigators, is believed to be responsible for last Saturday’s murder of Chinese businessman Chen Zhe Zhong and Shiva Boys’ Hindu College footballer Noah Simmons, who was murdered last May.
Following last Saturday’s murder, investigators were able to ascertain the suspect’s identity from the CCTV footage inside Zhong’s Karvill Supermarket Ltd business place along the Manahambre Road, Princes Town.
In an operation coordinated by Snr Supt Zamsheed Mohammed, ASP Peter Ramdeen and Insp Don Gajadhar yesterday, officers from the Southern Division CID and the Southern Division Task Force searched several areas where the suspect was hiding.
Around 1 pm, the police team, including Sgt Ifill, Sgt Dinoo, Cpl Bachus, Cpl Pulchan, Cpl Burke, PC Narine, PC Ramdass, PC George and PC Abraham went to an abandoned house at Cross Crossing, near the Cipero River, where they found him hiding.
Cornered by the lawmen, the man calmly left the house with the officers.
He remained in custody at the San Fernando Police Station up to late yesterday and is expected to be interrogated in connection with the two recent shootings.
He was also being interrogated by detectives from the Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Region Three in relation to Zhong and Simmons’ murders.
While searching houses where the suspect was seen, police arrested a 71-year-old woman and her 21-year-old son after 1.8 grammes of marijuana was found at their home in Corinth Hills, Ste Madeleine.
While searching a house at Pleasantville, a 26-year-old man attempted to run from police and suffered injuries. He was being treated at the San Fernando General Hospital yesterday afternoon under the watch of police officers.
Last Saturday, Zhong, 24, who lived at his business, was sitting behind the cashier when a man wearing a black Nike Jumpman hoodie entered the supermarket around 12.15 pm. The man purchased an orange juice but stuck around while other customers purchased items.
When the customers left, he pulled out a gun and shot Zhong in the face. He ran off to a waiting hatchback vehicle, that was parked a few buildings away from the supermarket, and left.
Zhong was taken to the Princes Town District Health Facility where he died.
On May 8, Simmons was allegedly shot dead by the suspect on the day he celebrated his 16th birthday.
Simmons, who also played football for the Marabella Family Crisis Centre, had just eaten breakfast at his cousin’s home, next to his, along the train line community of Union Park East, Marabella.
The killer was upset because Simmons spoke to his girlfriend and as a consequence, he shot Simmons in his chest.
According to Simmons’ family, he then walked further up the train line, firing shots and boasted about shooting the teenager.
