Relatives and neighbours of Siparia grandmother Joann Estick, whose severed head was found in a cooler at the side of the road on Thursday, are struggling to come to terms with the horrific way she met her death.
Her killing was the fourth gruesome murder in Siparia in the last seven months. Yesterday, as a flock of corbeaux circled over Quinam Road, Hunters Search and Rescue carried out aerial and ground searches, hoping to bring closure to Estick’s family by finding her body.
Police said around 1.15 pm Thursday, Cpl Patrice and PC Cummings of the South Western Division Task Force were patrolling when someone directed them to a green bag in a drain at Sennon Village.
Upon arrival, officers found a fly-covered bag on a concrete drain on the roadside. Inside, they discovered a small white plastic cooler, partially opened, containing Estick’s severed head.
Homicide Bureau investigators were also called in.
Estick, 60, was last seen alive around 12.30 pm on Wednesday, walking through the area. A candle now marks the spot where her severed head was found, as residents grapple with the horror of yet another brutal killing.
In December, 64-year-old Ramdath Maharaj was found hacked to death in a shack along Quinam Road. His face was smashed, his left arm nearly severed, and his legs cut off above the knees. In November 2024, a hunter discovered the decapitated body of Jamie Mohammed in a bushy area off Murray Trace, nearly a month after she vanished. A skull was found nearby, next to a body clad in a leopard-print top and shorts.
And in October, 38-year-old Carlos “Veju” Mahabir was hacked to death outside his Mendez Village home.
Hunters Search and Rescue Captain Vallence Rambharat said his team also checked an abandoned lot near the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, where Estick often spent time.
“So far, we have not ruled out the possibility that someone walked to dispose of the head. We are monitoring the corbeaux, using drones for aerial surveillance, and speaking to people in the area,” Rambharat said.
A villager told Guardian Media that Estick hustled odd jobs in the village, cleaning yards and washing cars.
He admitted she was a drug user but insisted she was always clean and well-dressed. He revealed that Estick called him 12 times on WhatsApp early Tuesday morning.
“I had missed calls between 2.25 am and 3.05 am, but I was asleep. I called back at 3.53 pm—someone answered, but there was silence.”
Although police described Estick as a street dweller, relatives said she had moved in with a man off Quinam Road in December after leaving their family home in Ritoville.
A relative, who wished to remain anonymous, said after hearing about Estick’s murder, they went to the man’s house but found it locked up.
Estick’s only daughter lived in the United States but died from COVID-19 a few years ago. Estick had three grandchildren. The family said relatives abroad often sent her care packages to help her get by.
A niece recalled finding out about her murder on Instagram.
“My neighbour was scrolling and asked if Joanne was missing. I thought she was talking about someone else. Then I saw the pictures of her head on social media—I felt sick. I kept thinking, ‘Who could do this to Joanne?’”
She admitted her aunt used drugs but insisted the family always tried to help her. Recently, she heard someone had threatened Estick’s life.
“On Carnival Tuesday, some boys were interfering with her. She told my mum that someone gave them $100 to pass on to her, but they did not. She argued with them and went to the station.”
Another relative, Joanna Mejias, was traumatised by the horrific nature of the crime.
“When I heard the news, my legs shook, and I felt a pain in my chest. I kept asking—what could she have done to deserve this? If she did something wrong, they could have beaten her, cut her hand or foot—but not her neck. They are heartless,” Mejias said.
She believes crime will never stop in this country, and no one knows who will be next.