Police are now seeking to amend the charge against Siparia vendor Mukey Pierre from kidnapping with the intent to murder, to outright murder, after his victim, Romeo Mitchell, died on Tuesday night.
Investigators said Mitchell, who suffered spinal injuries and broken legs after he was beaten and dumped in the Penal #25 Well on March 18, died around 9 pm at the San Fernando General Hospital. Before he died, he was able to give police a brief statement last weekend.
The Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Region Three, has now joined the case and investigators said an autopsy has to be done on Mitchell.
Once it is found his death was due to injuries he suffered during the kidnapping and beating, a report will be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions requesting the charge against Pierre be upgraded to murder.
On Monday, Pierre, 24, appeared before Magistrate Margaret Alert in the Siparia Magistrates’ Court accused of the attack against Mitchell.
Alert read the charged that between March 17 and 18, he unlawfully carried away Mitchell from Victor Street, Syne Village, Penal.
The charge also stated that he kidnapped Pierre with the intent to murder him at Mora Dam Road, Siparia.
Pierre was sent to the St Ann’s Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation and is scheduled to reappear in court on April 8.
Mitchell, who was hoisted out of the well by Siparia firefighters, spent his last nine days at the hospital.
