By RHONDOR DOWLAT Thursday, October 22 2009

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CRIME SCENE: A crime scene investigator walks away from the Mazda 323 car in which two men the driver and front seat passenger - were gunned down yes...

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A DOUBLE murder which rocked Jean Avenue in Diego Martin yesterday, had detectives from the Homicide Investigations Bureau very busy last night and took the country’s murder toll to 427 for the year thus far.

According to police sources, at about 1.30 pm at Jean Avenue in Diego Martin, a grey-coloured Mazda 323 car was proceeding north along that road when another car pulled alongside. Police said occupants in the second car opened fire on the two occupants in the Mazda car.

The driver of the Mazda, identified as Wendell Rogers, 27, of Beetham Gardens, attempted to drive off but crashed into a massive iron gate at the front of a house. Police said, one of the men got out of the other car, walked up to Rogers’ car and fired several shots, killing Rogers and front seat passenger Joel Medina, 46, of Picton Road, Laventille. Police said that the bodies of both victims, who both sported Rastafarian hairstyles, were removed to the Forensic Science Centre where autopsies are expected to be carried out today.

When a party of police officers of the Western Division headed by Insp Henry Dan arrived on the scene the Mazda’s engine was still on and the wipers of the car were in motion.

The men, whose faces were covered in blood, were found slumped in the driver’s seat and front passenger seat. An investigating officer said that they believed that the incident stemmed from a drug deal gone sour. Investigations are continuing. Ten spent shells were recovered at the scene.