(Trinidad Express) Police charged a 24-year-old security officer on Saturday night for the December 3 murder of his wife, Shadie Dassrath, a 31-year-old customer sales representative.
Quamise Vance, of Temple Street, La Romaine, was charged following the advice received from Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Joan Honore-Paul following his arrest on December 7.
Police reported that around 11 p.m. on December 2, Dassrath returned to the Temple Street, La Romaine, apartment she shared with the suspect, where she had an argument with him over a mark he had seen on her body.
He later told officers he went to sleep in the living room, but when he checked on her two hours later he found her “unresponsive”.
The man then informed one of his neighbours, a police officer, who then contacted the command centre.
Homicide Bureau officers visited the apartment and found Dassrath with a wound to her forehead.
An autopsy done at the Forensic Science Centre, Federation Park, concluded she had died of blunt force trauma and had sustained broken ribs as well.
On Friday, however, an attempt was made to have him released after his attorney wrote to Deputy Commissioner of Police McDonald Jacob citing that he had not been charged since his arrest on Tuesday.
Attorney Aleah Khadar claimed that since her client had been in police custody for over 72 hours without any charges being preferred against him, if he had not been released by 8 a.m. yesterday she would have to file a writ of habeas corpus on his behalf.
In the letter dated December 10, she said her client received a call from the Homicide Unit of the San Fernando Police Station on December 7 asking him to meet with an officer there.
Contacted on Saturday, DCP Jacob said the police can detain anyone for over 72 hours once investigators can justify that keeping the suspect in custody will be beneficial towards closing the case.
“The police will operate within the requirements of the law,” said Jacob.
