Man held for murder in Castara – TOURIST STABBED TO DEATH

MURDER IN CASTARA: President of the Castara Tourism Development Association, Bertill Taylor, right, and association member Errol Roach on Thursday along a track in Depot Road, Castara where American tourist Christopher Brown was found stabbed to death on Wednesday night. PHOTO BY ALVA VIARRUEL - Alva Viarruel

ALVA VIARRUEL

TOBAGO police are investigating the theory that an American tourist was knifed to death during a jealous fit of rage by a man who mistook him for someone else, on Wednesday night, in the pristine west coast village of Castara.

Christopher Brown, 44, of County Road, Silverthorne, Colorado, was stabbed multiple times by the 26-year-old suspect who hails from Rockly Vale in Scarborough, who fled the scene around 10.30 pm. He was arrested on Thursday morning.

Homicide Tobago Region investigators said the killer left the knife in Brown’s back after he ambushed him on a dark walkway off Depot Road. Brown had been in Castara for the past week and was due to fly home with his girlfriend on Thursday.

The couple spent the evening at a drumming session on the beach front off Depot Road, and returned to the Castara Retreats resort where they were staying. Brown left his lady friend behind and went back out for unknown reasons, apparently heading back to the drumming session.

Witnesses said the killer had come to the village to spend time with his girlfriend during the drumming session which is held every Wednesday evening. The suspect argued with his girlfriend over her apparent show of affection to another man.

The suspect left and apparently waited in ambush on the dark path where he later stabbed Brown multiple times. He then allegedly called his girlfriend telling her what he had done, not realising that Brown was not the man whom his girlfriend had been speaking with hours earlier.

Police said the man who was friendly with the suspect's girlfriend had similar physical characteristics as Brown. The body was later removed to the mortuary of the Scarborough General Hospital for autopsy.

Efforts were being made on Thursday by the authorities to contact Brown's next of kin in Colorado.

Tourism Secretary Tashia Burris issued a statement condemning the “horrific act of violence” and reassured visitors that Castara was a safe space.

“This is the first such act of violence in the idyllic (fishing village of ) Castara, a community known for its safe and welcoming environment…which stands as a pillar of community tourism excellence,” the statement said, ending with the secretary pledging to work with stakeholders to maintain the safety of the area.

Yesterday, however, president of the Castara Tourism Development Association Bertill Taylor said the Depot Road area has been a bone of contention with the THA for some time. The road which leads to Little Bay beach, has not been maintained and “has no street lights whatsoever.”

Taylor said the group has been advocating for improvements to this area in particular, as tourists often have to use the torchlight on their cellphones to navigate this road at nights.

“We in Castara are very traumatised by this because that is not what we project as a community. Castara is a very vibrant tourism-oriented village and we try to guard that as much as possible,” he said, taking pains to point out that the murder “was not done by a Castarian, it was done by an outsider.”

His colleague Errol Roach who leads the fisherfolk in the area, echoed the sentiments and noted the village is “policed by residents many of whom have a vested interest in the tourism product.”

Both men noted that tourist bookings have been down this season compared to last year, “based on the situation in the country, what is happening with the US and Venezuela…so we’re hoping folks who have already booked will not be deterred (from coming).

"We rely on our tourists to spread the word across the world about Castara…Castara is a safe place, we welcome everybody here,” Taylor said. Investigations are continuing.

The murder of Brown took place a day after a Trinidadian man was gunned down outside a mini mart in Mason Hall.

Israel Collin, 23, of Sandy River, Mason Hall was liming with friends outside Martin's Shop around 8.10 pm on Tuesday when several men exited from a car and shots were fired at Collin. The gunmen got back into the car which sped off. Collin died at the scene. There have been nine murders in Tobago so far this year.