Tobago Correspondent
A minor is expected to be charged with the murder of his friend, 15-year-old Beris Joseph. Joseph, from Golden Lane, was Tobago’s first homicide for 2025.
Joseph, a fourth-form student of Signal Hill Secondary School, was found dead on January 4 in the Mt Hay area, located between Patience Hill and Black Rock.
Residents reported hearing gunshots overnight, and his lifeless body was discovered on the roadway around 8 am with gunshot wounds.
An autopsy conducted at the Scarborough General Hospital Mortuary on January 9 revealed that Joseph had been shot multiple times in the head and neck.
On Friday, DPP Roger Gaspard, SC, advised homicide investigators to proceed with charging the juvenile for Joseph’s murder.
Speaking to Guardian Media yesterday, Joseph’s aunt Angela Taylor said the family was devastated but trying to cope. When asked if the family felt justice had been served, she said it was heartbreaking because the suspect was a close friend of Joseph.
She admitted, “I know both of them were good, good good (sic) friends. That sounds shocking to me. We wondering how (the suspect and Joseph) reached to that place … I don’t know what to say. It sounding so strange.”
She believes there is more to the story but is in disbelief the suspect is allegedly behind the killing. She described the suspect as “a real good friend to Beris. He used to come here, and any little things Beris had to do, he go (sic) help him do this or that. We don’t know nothing behind that (the death) as yet.”
Taylor repeatedly said, “I don’t know, nah, I don’t know,” before conceding, “What will we do? We can’t do nothing. We are trying to cope with the situation.”
She said she was confused over what went wrong between Beris and the suspect that allegedly led to his death. Joseph was laid to rest three days ago after a farewell ceremony with classmates, close friends, and family.
A grisly video circulating hours after Joseph’s death showed Joseph being tortured supposedly moments before he was killed. He was found dead in the same clothes he was seen wearing in the video.
Snr Supt Earl Elie said Joseph had been involved in certain activities that made him vulnerable. Speaking at a Tobago Stakeholders Security meeting on January 9, Elie explained how gangs have been exploiting “impressionable” teenagers.
“At that age, a young man is very impressionable. So, imagine you take a firearm and place it in the hands of a young, impressionable guy … That creates a certain sense of false power in that young guy.”
Elie said that gangs now deliberately targeted teens by manipulating them. He warned, “The underworld is getting to our children. We, as parents and adults, need to do a little bit more.”
He also called for greater vigilance from parents. “Parenting is important. You really see your child if you hide and look at them. You may not believe that is your child.”
