Authorities in the twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago have launched an investigation into the murder of a young Guyanese fashion designer, cosmetologist, and runway coach, who was found dead in his apartment with multiple stab wounds about his body.
Latchman Singh
Dead is 27-year-old Latchman Singh, popularly known as Marcus or Marc Anthony Singh, who originally hailed from Seventh Street Marthersville, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
Trinidad Police said they were called to the apartment in El Dorado around 18:30h on Tuesday by one of Singh’s roommates, who claimed that he was found in a motionless state.
When they arrived on the scene, they found Singh’s underwear-clad body that bore several stab wounds.
On Wednesday, the dead man’s family members in Guyana said that they were struggling to gather information surrounding his horrific demise and were devastated over the fact that they may not get back his body for burial.
Speaking with Guyana Times, his mother, Bibi Zabeda Kassim, who has since fallen ill after receiving the news of her son’s murder, said that her other children tried to break the news to her delicately.
Bibi Zabeda Kassim lying in her hammock as she tries to come to grips with her son’s death. Also in photo are Latchman Singh’s sister and father
“My kids called me and told me that they got bad news for me, so I ask them, ‘what is it?’ and they told me they heard that Anthony get murder. I didn’t believe at the set moment, but when I see it started to be on social media, then I had believed it. My daughter spoke more with the Police and so over there, but that is all that I heard,” the grieving mother told this publication.
Kassim said her son left Guyana some six years ago to live in Trinidad, with the aim of bettering his skills.
She said since he left, he had never returned home, adding that the last time she heard from her son was on April 1, when he called her to wish her a happy birthday.
When asked if Singh complained of having problems with anyone, his mother said her son never told her of any such issues. However, his sister, Deepa Singh said her brother did at one point confided in her that he was experiencing some challenges, but she said it was nothing detailed.
“At one time yes, he did have a problem, but they sort it out. He wanted to come back to Guyana, because he wanted to start career here too, but then I didn’t hear him say anything again. I spoke with him only on Monday on video call and he was preparing breakfast and that was the last time I heard from him,” the tearful woman said.
Singh’s family said based on what they heard, the fashion designer shared an apartment with two other persons. They said he did not have any family members in the twin-island republic, but did have friends there. They also told this publication that based on the information they received, there was no forced entry into the designer’s room.
His sister Geeta said they were told that he was stabbed twice to the back of his head.
“I don’t even know if anybody heard him scream, because he has a very loud scream, he mussy really scream…,” his sister said.
Singh’s mother said their family was in constant contact with authorities in Trinidad and was hopeful that justice would be gotten as soon as possible.
“This not something easy and I can never get back a son and this was a murder. Every mother would feel it for their child. If he was a bad person, he was a gambler, or he was smoking and things like that, I wouldn’t have been grieving this much, but my son was very humble and he didn’t deserve to die like that. So, all I am asking for is justice from the authorities in Trinidad,” she said.
The family also said it was heart-rending that Singh’s body would not be able to come home for his burial, and they would not be able to bid him farewell in person, as Trinidad and Tobago’s borders remain closed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We don’t know anybody there and we have no contact really, just for the few people…we would have to send money up there to bury him,” they said.
Nevertheless, the family is pleading with both local and Trinidadian officials to allow members to travel so they can properly say goodbye to their loved one.
The day after Singh was murdered, a plethora of posts flooded social media sites, offering condolences to his family. He was described by his friends as “talented, brilliant and a creative soul that was full of life. His family also described him as “an inspiration to many”.
