SILENT SCREAM

From: Trinidadexpress.com - Jan 17, 2004

Abducted deaf-mute found murdered By Richard Charan South Bureau

Saturday, January 17th 2004

ANEESHER Rangoo died a silent, painful death, police believe.

Abducted in darkness in a bloody attack five days ago, she would not have been able to see, hear or scream for mercy.

Twenty-two-year-old Rangoo was deaf and could not speak.

Police now know that whoever snatched her did not want her family's money.

They wanted her life and they turned down a stirring family plea two days ago to free her.

Her decomposing body was found yesterday, less than a quarter-mile from her Dow Village, South Oropouche, home.

There were corbeaux (black vultures) around the body.

Investigators believe the young woman was dead within minutes of her abduction.

Rangoo was grabbed by the head and taken from her home around 4 a.m. last Saturday by a man who stormed the house and chopped and stabbed her mother, Kamla Rangoo, 44; her sister, Sharon, 28; and sister-in-law, Cindy Rampersad, 21.

Sharon Rangoo was chopped on the hand while trying to shield Aneesher from being dragged away.

The man robbed the family of $600, and $25,000 worth of jewelry.

He took Aneesher through a track opposite the house.

Police tracker dogs picked up a trail along the road but lost it at a point where they believe she was put into a vehicle.

No one searched the row of teak trees near to where the escape road met Samaan Avenue.

It was CEPEP (Community Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme) worker Peter Lopez who found Aneesher's body just before noon yesterday.

He said: "We were working to clear bushes on the side of the road and I went in the bushes to relieve myself. I heard a flapping noise and when I turned around, I see corbeaux flying away, and I see a foot and part of a body."

Lopez ran and contacted the police.

Police found Aneesher's body 30 feet off the road, face down, arms and legs outstretched and with part of her head "already eaten". The corbeaux retired to the nearby trees while police processed the crime scene.

Sharon Rangoo identified her sister's body by the tank top, black tights and gold anklet she wore when she was snatched.

The District Medical Officer told police Aneesher Rangoo had been dead for at least five days.

Sharon screamed, cried and fainted when she was told of her sister's death.

Two days earlier, she had made a tearful appeal to the abductors that the family was willing to pay any amount of money for Aneesher's return.

Investigators said that early in the investigation they had concluded there had been no kidnapping, since the brutality of the crime pointed to a vendetta against a member of the Rangoo family.

Eleven people have been questioned in connection with the matter, including three Venezuelans known to have stayed at the home of the Rangoos, who make and sell doubles for a living.

A car belonging to a family member was also checked by forensic experts after the owner was seen cleaning a red substance from the trunk. The substance turned out to be paint.

Cindy Rampersad remains at hospital.

Insp Fitzgerald George is spearheading investigations.

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