(Trinidad Guardian) Jamilia DeRevenaux, 27, had confided in a close friend that she had made up her mind to change some aspects of her personal life and who she had around her. However, hours after her decision she was brutally murdered – her throat slashed by a man police believe lured her to her death in the MovieTowne basement car park.
The suspect, who investigating officers identified as a close male companion, was on the run late last night, police confirmed.
DeRevenaux, the sister-in-law of soca artiste Dexter “Blaxx” Stewart, was at her workplace at Mandiero Peri Peri Grill on Sunday night, when she received a phone call from the suspect. She walked outside to the back of the restaurant, which is located in the underground car park, where she met her male friend shortly after 8 pm.
The T&T Guardian was told DeRevenaux had earlier spoken to the man and had demanded that he return her vehicle — a blue Nissan. The man, whom she shared a relationship with, used to ply her vehicle as a “PH” taxi for her, police said.
Police said after DeRevenaux and the man spoke outside and she was handed the car keys, as she turned to walk away, her attacker grabbed her from behind and slashed her throat with a sharp object. The man then fled the scene.
As she gasped for breath on the ground, DeRevenaux was spotted by a couple who raised an alarm for help. However, while a man was trying to apply pressure to the wound on her neck, he was accosted and detained by MovieTowne’s security, Telecoms Security.
The man was subsequently handed over to police officers who had responded to the call. He was, however, released yesterday afternoon, after he was identified as a “Good Samaritan.”
A close friend of that man told the T&T Guardian that his experience had left him, his girlfriend and family members traumatised. He said the man and his girlfriend went to MovieTowne on Sunday to celebrate his birthday “when they ran to help the bleeding girl.”
DeRevenaux’s sister, Jemima DeRevenaux-Stewart, who was at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, for her autopsy yesterday, said she had spoken to the man’s girlfriend on Sunday night and was given the entire account of how they both ran to her sister’s help.
DeReveneaux’s cousin, Joanna Alleyne, described her cousin as a “cool and loving” person.
“She was just normal. The only thing is that she never really confided in us about her life, as she always kept to herself with respect to that. She used to live Gonzales but then she moved out. So we don’t know much about her, if she was threatened or anything like that.”
DeRevenaux’s mother, Sherry was too distraught to speak, but still said she needed “some kind of closure.”
Stewart, in a release, said his sister-in-law was a wonderful and loving aunt to his children, especially his five-year-old daughter Faith.
“The pain of this loss is tremendous. In addition to sharing a close sibling relationship with Blaxx, Jamilia was a wonderful, loving aunt to Blaxx’s children — which was a clear reflection of the close-knit family circle that was cherished and shared by all. Jamilia was extremely loved by those who knew her, and will be sorely missed. May she rest in peace,” Stewart said.
He then extended his gratitude to the national community for the outpouring of love, support and messages of condolences.
The T&T Guardian understands that Stewart’s handlers did not tell him of her death until after he had performed during Sunday’s International Soca Monarch semi-finals because they feared he would not be able to handle the news.
According to DeRevenaux’s friend, she was not married and did not have any children but she worked very hard at two jobs. During the day she worked at the Port-of-Spain City Corporation and on evenings into the night she worked at the restaurant.
T&T Guardian was told DeRevenaux only started to work at the food establishment earlier this year and her colleagues did not know too much about her.
“Jamilia was a quiet but loving person here at the work place. She will be missed. May she rest in peace,” one co-worker said.
Yesterday, Mandiero’s remained closed. However, shortly after 2 pm workmen came on site to start work on upgrading the establishment’s surveillance camera system.
Owner of MovieTowne, Derek Chin, extended his condolences to DeRevenaux’s family and added that the crime situation in T&T was at a “frightening stage.”
He assured that he will be reviewing his surveillance camera and lighting system in and around the compound.
“We try to make MovieTowne a happy place, but you can see that crime is happening all around us. We did anticipate something like this happening because there are so many people that go there. The last event was the fatal drive-by shooting in 2003. We try our best to secure the place and make it safe for our guests,” Chin said, referring to the 2003 killing on in the car park.
“But this is a traumatic experience for all of us, the MovieTowne family. I understand that Jamilia was a very nice person and good worker and it is so sad to see that she was killed like that.”
Chin said he is awaiting a full report and in the meantime will render any support to the family he can.
Workers from various stores at MovieTowne yesterday expressed shock over the incident. One worker said she was very much concerned about the crime situation.
“When we heard this happened here last night we all got frightened, but we consoled ourselves saying that it was a domestic thing so we don’t have anything much to worry about after all.”
Investigations are continuing.
