Tragic murders continue to plague Trinidad and Tobago as two young brothers executed

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — Fifteen-year-old Jamal Brathwaite and his nine-year-old brother Jadel Holder were murdered execution style on Sunday in Morvant, Trinidad, by gunmen who fired one shot to the back of the head of each of the boys; killing them instantly in full view of their mother.

According to a police report, two men entered the brothers’ home at around 3:00 pm and ordered everyone in the house to lie face down on the floor.

A neighbour, 16-year-old Glendel Alexander, who was in the house at the time, got up from the floor and started running to escape. He was shot in the leg but was otherwise left alone by the killers.

Some villagers told the media that the brothers were badly behaved and their killings were no surprise to them; others expressed concern about the execution style killing.

One neighbour told the Trinidad Express the boys had committed robberies in the capital city of Port of Spain but were on good terms with villagers in their community. Another neighbour also shared a story about the boys refusing to pay the full fare to a taxi driver only a week ago. When the driver admonished Holder, the other brother Brathwaite told him (the driver) he just came out of prison and should be content with the money he was paid.

Alexander is being treated at the Port of Spain General Hospital. His condition is stable.

The dead boys’ mother is described as one who works very hard to ensure a good living for her children; however, they seem to get into trouble when she is absent, noted the Trinidad Express report.

Villagers were also at variance over the boys’ school attendance, with one saying they hardly ever attended school, but a relative claimed nine-year-old holder was not a dropout.

Police are continuing their investigations into the double homicide.

These execution-style killings – resembling something more likely to be seen in a movie — occurred within one month of the assassination of state prosecutor Dana Seetahal SC, who was executed when a gunman opened fire on her vehicle.

To date, police continue to indicate that the investigation into her murder is at a sensitive stage and they cannot reveal any more details to the media.