Man acquitted in double murder case shot dead 16 days later

Trinidad & Tobago: Man suspected of a high-profile double murder has been acquitted by the High Court of all charges earlier this month. He was fatally shot and killed on Sunday, June 21, just after sixteen days of his acquittal.

Warren Small who was also known as “Quincy” and “Blacks” was fatally shot near Joseph Trace in Marcas, St. Joseph on Sunday. The police confirmed that investigations are ongoing to locate the shooter.

Small was the prime suspect of the high-profile 2020 murder case and the victims of the murder were Darrie Simon and Sharlene Ramkissoon. Reportedly, the two victims were killed on March 3, 2020, at Acono Junction, Marcas. They were at a shed at around 4:15 p.m. when they were shot by masked gunmen.

The case was majorly rested on an eye witness testimony who claimed to have recognized Small after a bandana covering his face slid during the attack.

However, on June 5, Madame Justice Nalini Singh ruled that the evidence is unreliable and the witness’s statements are inconsistent and due to this reason, Warren Small was acquitted of all charges.

The judge noted that the witnesses only had a brief glance of the shooters’ face during a traumatic incident and his face was largely concealed. As per claims, the statements by the eye witnesses were highly inconsistent, one said the shooter, Warren Small was wearing a hoodie and bandana while the other did not recognize Small and claimed that the shooter's face was covered with dark shades.

The court also criticized the investigators for the shortcomings in the process and for failing to conduct a proper identification parade. The court concluded that these shortcomings, inconsistent witness statements, and conflicting evidence, left significant doubt over the identity of the shooter. As a result Justice Singh acquitted Warren Small of all charges.

However, Small did not get the chance to enjoy his freedom, as just after sixteen days of being acquitted, he was fatally shot and killed. The police believe that his past as well as some questionable interactions with certain persons may have led to his brutal death.

Small spent almost six years in prison awaiting trial but was brutally killed after his acquisition. The investigations are still ongoing as the police try to identify the killer.