There was a double murder in Ladyville Village this morning and the victims are a pair of brothers executed by what police believe is a lone gunman. The victims are Derek and Saeed Seawell and while they have that notorious title – as we found out these men were not known to be at all like their infamous namesakes. Which is what makes the mystery of their death even more puzzling. Jules Vasquez reports.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
Just before 7 this morning, 33-year-old Daniel Sewell and 28-year-old Saeed Sewell were here, parked in front of their mother’s house on Parakeet Street in this Nissan pickup truck. Police say they were inside the truck when a gunman appraoched the passenger door and opened fire with a 9 millimeter pistol. Their mother Yvonne Sewell was inside the house within earshot. She thought it was a backfire on the pickup truck.
Yvonne Sewell,
“I heard when the thing went pow like that. So I told their father it sounds like those boys’ vehicle backfire. He said they will come in.”
But they never came in, they died in the car and it was her son who lives across the street who told her.
Yvonne Sewell,
“The next son over the other side told me they just shot your two son. So I said, ‘cho, no,’ like that and he said alright and then I walked towards the pickup and he opened the door and when I looked in there I saw the two of them and then I told him it is true, they shot my two little boys.”
Two of her 5 sons dead in the street in front of their family home. Today one of their brothers tried to cover the window as the rain came down. Daniel in the driver’s seat was shot four times, 3 to the body and once to the head and Saeed in the passenger seat was shot one time to the head.
Curious thing is that usually only Daniel is in the truck as Saaed drives this truck – but because of the butane shutdown, he had no gas for it, and it was parked while he got as ride from his brother. A notable detail but one that hardly made any difference as they were carted away by police as the entire neighborhood looked on. Police say it was an execution.
Calbert Flowers,
“It would seem like an execution. The expended shells, three expended shells, were found in the cab of the vehicle which is telling us that these were point blank shots.”
But why? These weren’t corner boys or street thugs. Everyone we spoke to in the community knew them from this grocery store. They were regarded as friendly, kind, church going, and hard working – opening their doors when other grocers did not.
Yvonne Sewell,
“As far as I know they have their little business, they are friends with everyone. I don’t know why they shot them. I really don’t know because they are boys who, if you need help and you go to ask them and they have it, they give you.”
Jules Vasquez,
When people hear the name Sewell they think of the notorious Sewells.
Yvonne Sewell,
“No we are the poor ones and we are the quiet ones.”
Elena Arnold, Aunt
“They don’t fase with nobody, nobody. I know it for a fact. I am not swearing for them because I see them being into the church. They don’t even drink, they don’t even smoke – so why would they hurt them. If they had only kill one you wouldn’t mind but two of them. Two, it’s a sin. That is not robbery, that is murder.”
Jules Vasquez,
So might robbery have been a motive?
Insp. Calbert Flowers,
“At this time it is very difficult to say. It would not seem that robbery is the motive because these fellows they had cash on them and they were still intact in their pockets and stuff like that. We have no leads at this time. We are interviewing several people at this time. We have one person who came forward and we are looking at different angles.”
Different angles but for the family, one overwhelming feeling of grief. It is a big family, 8 children and many nieces and nephews all going through their own difficult time. But the head of the family, Charles Sewell says it is not about revenge.
Charles Sewell,
“I don’t have much to say. I feel bad about it. I am a Christian man and I sympathize with the guy who have done it or whatever happened. I don’t have any prejudice against them. I don’t ask for no revenge and nothing like this. I just need to let them know that I feel bad about my sons and I will grieve for them.”
Police note that one significant clue may be that one of the brothers had a licensed firearm, and so far that has not been found. No one is detained but police are seeking one suspect.
