Cuban national Joel Rodriguez was yesterday charged and remanded to prison for the murders of his girlfriend Tara Krishnaran and her 11-year-old daughter, who were found at the Princes Street, Lodge home they all shared.
Rodriguez, of Lot 14 B Princes Street, Lodge and formerly of Santiago, Cuba, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where the charge was read to him
He was not required to answer to the charge and was further remanded to prison until January 18th, 2021.
Police had reported that Rodriguez, 28, murdered the woman and her child between 8 pm on December 25th, 2020 and 9 pm on Saturday, December 26.
Rodriguez, who initially fled the scene, was captured by the police in Amelia’s Ward, Linden, on Sunday night and has allegedly confessed to committing the murders.
According to the police, Rodriguez revealed that on Christmas Day, while he and Krishnaran were under the influence of alcohol, she was visited by a male friend at their residence, which led to an argument between the two.
Rodriguez added that he was further infuriated when Krishnaran said she was going to visit her brother as he did not believe her.
As a result a fight ensued and Rodriguez killed Krishnaran and subsequently Singh, who was an eyewitness to her mother’s murder.
Police had previously reported that when questioned, the father of Krishnaran revealed that the suspect and the woman had an argument at about 5.30 pm on December 25 and a fight ensued between the couple.
The father retired to bed since, according to him, the couple would fight routinely. At about 8 am on December 26, the father woke up and did not check on the victims, having thought that she went to work and had taken her child with her as was customary.
At about 8.30 pm on Saturday, the father, after realising that he was locked inside the house, checked the room of the victim and discovered his daughter and granddaughter lying motionless on a bed and floor, respectively.
There was a wound to the back of the head, left temple and the left side of the face of Krishnaran. On the girl, (there was) a wound about six inches in length to her neck. A blood-stained hammer and knife were also retrieved, the police said.
