(Trinidad Express) MERCY!
That was the last plea that relatives of Geeta Newman heard from her.
And after missing for more than 24 hours, she was found dead on Tuesday night.
An autopsy of Newman, 53, revealed that she sustained blunt force trauma to the head, and died of suffocation.
Detectives suspect that she was beaten on the head, then smothered.
Police have detained a close female relative and a close male relative of Newman, who live in the apartment where her body was discovered.
St Margaret’s Police went to the family’s property at Southern Main Road, Plaisance Park, after they received a report that Newman was last heard screaming at the relatives’ apartment.
Around 10 p.m. officers went to the apartment where they met the suspects.
Police entered the apartment and allegedly found the body on a couch covered with a sheet.
The two suspects were detained at the scene.
A relative of Newman who did not wish to be identified, said Newman previously lived at Rio Claro, and returned to live at the family’s tenement property less than two weeks ago.
He said Newman had not spoken to the female suspect for several years but they rekindled their relationship.
“My wife and I found it strange that Geeta started to talk back to her (female suspect) and we warned Geeta to stay away. We told her she would get her death”, said the relative.
The relative said that Newman had visited the neighbouring apartment where the suspects lived.
“We used to hear sounds coming from there like if Geeta was getting licks. On that last night we were hearing a commotion. And with that I heard Geeta bawl out ‘Mercy!’ That was the last thing I heard from her”, the relative said.
“The man (male suspect) does drink a lot, and he used to beat Geeta”, he said.
The relative said that the suspects locked the apartment on Tuesday morning and returned on Tuesday afternoon.
On Tuesday evening, when Newman could not be found, police received information that she was last seen at the suspects’ apartment.
Detectives suspect that Newman may have been killed on Monday evening, and her body remained in the apartment for more than 24 hours before it was discovered.
Homicide detectives took statements from Newman’s relatives and are searching for a motive for the killing.
They have obtained closed circuit television footage from the apartment.
The relative said he Newman may have been killed over a dispute over the family’s premises.
Newman was a mother of three, but her children did not reside with her.
Officers of Homicide Region III are continuing investigations.