http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Dad ... 27433.htmlDad of 2 killed at home
By Akile Simon
Story Created: Oct 17, 2011 at 10:45 PM ECT
Story Updated: Oct 17, 2011 at 10:45 PM ECT
An El Dorado businessman was murdered in front of his family during a home invasion on Sunday evening.
Police said Teddy Phillip, 48, was shot twice in the head, by one of three armed men who came to rob.
Phillip, a father of two, is the proprietor of Miller Cooling Air-conditioning located along the Eastern Main Road, El Dorado, a village east of Tunapuna.
The bandits, police said, stole a quantity of cash, jewelry and Phillip's licensed pistol.
The incident occurred around 6.30 p.m. shortly after Phillip and another relative returned to the home. One of his son's was removing items from the car when he was accosted.
One of his surviving sons, 19-year-old Teddy Phillip II, recounting the horror last night said: "They place a gun to me, robbed me of my gold jewelry, take me upstairs and tie-strap my hands and then there was a scuffle with my father and then they shoot him twice in the head and he fall down and dead right there. They ramsacked the place and stole cash and other things before leaving."
He described his father as "a very peaceful and loving person."
"First time something serious has hit home and its really sad.
"My father was a good person and hard-working person who never interfere with nobody. He goes to work, comes back home and that is it. He don't lime and he don't drink," the grieving son said.
Police said once inside the house, the bandits demanded cash and jewelry and confronted the businessman in a bedroom.
Phillip was shot as the men during an altercation with one of the men. Officers believe they fled the scene in a waiting vehicle.
Phillip's relatives, unable to contain their grief, attempted to pull his body from the back of a van belonging to Ideal's Funeral Home as it was being taken away.
"Let me go! I wanna go with him. Teddy, please come back. You never leave anywhere without us. I wanna go with him. Anywhere he go he does carry the three of we. Ah want him come back home."
"Leave me alone I want to go with him," screamed a female relative as she had to be restrained by Sgt Donna Morris-Gokool, an off-duty police officer, who had also responded to the incident.
Even though relatives declined comment at the scene, neighbours and friends described Phillip as a good man who did not deserve to die in such manner.
"He was always good to everyone who knows him and who he came into contact with. I only hope that the police find the person who did this to him," a neighbour said.
The murder, the 22nd to occur during the state of emergency, has caused a renewed fear among business owners in the area.
One bar owner said the killing has caused him to be even more cautious as he peered through his wrought iron fortified counter.
Phillip's murder has taken the murder count to 290 for the year, according to an Express tally.
ASP Gabriel Joseph led a party of officers at the scene which included Insp Dale Ablack, Mohammed, and Sgt Basdeo Sinanan, Cpl Haynes and PCs Roopchan and Maxwell of the Tunapuna CID.
Detective Constable Herbie Francis of the Region II Homicide Bureau of Investigations in Arouca is probing the incident.
