It's Christmas Eve - but a vicious killing on the Placencia Peninsula late last night - has made "peace on earth" seem even further off than it usually is.
It happened in Seine Bight Village where 23-year-old Namid Mesh was stabbed once in his chest and eight more times in his back by his girlfriend's ex - common-law.
It all started with the suspect getting into an altercation with the woman, 25-year-old Linda Vigil, and ended with Mesh bleeding to death. But in the middle of that tragic night, Vigil attempted to seek out the police who were nowhere to be found - a critical element that could have prevented this callous loss of life. But regardless of who's to blame, the Mesh family must mourn their only son on this Christmas Eve. Courtney Menzies has this story.
23-year-old Namid Mesh left his San Antonio home to start working at the Naia Resort and Spa two years ago. And now, his family will be spending this holiday season preparing to bury him.
Mesh was brutally stabbed nine times by his girlfriend's ex last night, sometime before midnight. According to the police, 25-year-old Linda Vigil was having problems with her former common-law husband, Jorge Triminio, another Naia employee, when things escalated.
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Officer
"Linda Vigil reported that she was at home when her ex-common law, Jorge Triminio entered her home, I must mention that they have been separated in excess of two months and while she asked him to leave he didn't want to do so and every time she made an attempt to leave the home, he blocked the entrance/exit. She managed to get out of the apartment and walked to the Seine Bight police station. unfortunately, the police was not there."
Without the help of the police, Vigil decided to return home and on the way there, she met up with Mesh and when they got to the house, Triminio wasn't there. But police believe he was lurking, waiting for the right opportunity.
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Officer
"Mr Triminio returned, forced his way into their apartment, because he was familiar with that home, he got a knife from the kitchen, where he inflicted several stab wounds to Mr Mesh. Mr Triminio then proceeded to wash the knife in the sink, leaving it behind and fled the scene. Ms Vigil got helped form the neighbors and the police arrived on the scene and transported Mr Mesh to the polyclinic in Placencia where he succumbed to his injuries."
And perhaps, this devastating ordeal could have been avoided if Vigil was able to reach the police - whether through her numerous phone calls or her trip to the station. The Commissioner of Police certainly believes so.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"What is disturbing for me is the fact that the police officers who were on duty and should have been there to assist the initial complainant were a no-show. So I have directed OC Placencia to look at that matter seriously and those officers who were working at that time will be held accountable for their non-appearance and not responding to the phone so those are internal issues that we have to deal with because I am certain had they responded to the call or had they been there when she went to the station, this murder could have been avoided."
"I'm certainly upset and pissed. I have always said to police that we must take our job seriously and when you go to the police act, section 4 that outlines the primary functions of police, the first primary function, the preservation of life and property so whenever there's a loss of life and the omission of the police can be seen as attributing to that, it is not a good feeling."
And while Mesh's parents were too torn up to speak, his family at the Naia Resort are having a hard time coming to terms with his murder - especially since it was by the hands of his co-worker.
Voice of: Stewart Krohn, Managing Director, Naia Resort & Spa
"This came as an absolute shock, both young men were very well liked, were very skilled, they were mainstays of our food and beverage department, nobody who heard that news could believe it and all in all, today it should be one of the best times of the year for everyone and it was just very strange being at work today."
"I don't want to speak authoritatively about what led up to this tragedy but it is my understanding that there had been a bit of friction between them in the last few weeks or a month or so but nobody that I spoke to ever expected that it would come to something like what happened last night."
"Namid was a fine young guy, everybody liked him at our staff, our guests liked him, he was a guy, you know, as business has improved in the tourism industry and at our resort, he was doing very well financially after the long pandemic and I will say this, the same thing went for his assailant, Jorge. You know, two guys got along very well with everyone, enthusiastic, upbeat, kind. You know, I think in every business but particularly in a restaurant setting where everybody's under a lot of pressure but everyone has to work together to be successful, these guys were right at the heart of the operation and it's still very difficult to accept that one is dead and one has his life likely ruined forever."
Those closest to Mesh were sent home to recover. Meanwhile, Triminio has been detained and police are sure that he will be charged for Mesh's murder.
Mesh had no children, and Naia Resort was his first place of employment.
