Cuban remanded to prison for murder of partner, daughter

A 27-year-old Cuban National was on Thursday remanded to prison for the murders of his 34-year-old spouse, Tara Krishnaran, and her 11-year-old daughter, whose bodies were found at their Princess Street, Lodge, Georgetown home on December 26.

Joel Rodriguez, known as Yoel Rodriguez Barientos appeared before the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and was not required to plead to the two charges.

Particulars of the charges alleged that between December 25 and December 26, 2020, at Princess Street Lodge, he murdered Krishnaran and her daughter.

He was remanded to prison until January 18, 2021.

Krishnaran and her daughter were discovered dead in their Princess Street, Lodge, Georgetown home on the night of December 26, by the woman’s father.

Police said the duo was murdered sometime between Christmas Night and Boxing Day. The police recovered a blood-stained hammer and knife at the scene.

On Monday, the Police arrested Rodriguez at Amelia’s Ward, Linden and he later confessed to the gruesome crime.

Post Mortem Examinations (PME) conducted on Tuesday found that Krishnaran and her 11-year-old daughter died from blunt trauma to the head.

The PMEs were done by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The 11-year-old’s death was compounded by an incised wound to the neck.

The autopsy also found that the child was raped but could not confirm if this happened on the day she was murdered or whether it was by the suspect.