Trinidad: 31-year-old man sentenced to death for killing partner and infant

Trinidad and Tobago: A 31-year-old man from Barrackpore, Trinidad and Tobago, Rishi Motilal, has been sentenced to death for the 2024 murders of his common-law wife and their infant daughter.

Motilal, also known as “Cook Meat,” faced two counts of murder during a judge-alone trial on Monday, April 27, 2026. He was convicted for killing 31-year-old Tara Ramsaroop and their 14-month-old child. He was also charged with malicious damage to property after setting fire to a vehicle following the killings.

The incident reportedly took place on October 8, 2024 at a residence located on Rig Road in Barrackpore. According to reports, Motilal and Ramsaroop became involved in a heated argument that quickly escalated. Motilal armed himself with an iron pipe and attacked her following which he used a cutlass to inflict multiple wounds and ultimately slit her throat.

After killing Ramsaroop, he turned the weapon on their infant daughter and killed her as well. He then fled the scene in a relative’s car which was later found burned on Rochard Road in Penal.

During the trial, Motilal’s mother and sister-in-law testified that he contacted them after the incident and admitted to the killings. A civilian witness also provided similar testimony to the police.

In his defence, Motilal claimed he was provoked during the argument and alleged that Ramsaroop had threatened to keep the children away from him. He told the court that he went into a “dark hole” and could not clearly recall the events.

His attorneys, Stephen Wilson and Ayanna Norville-Modeste, asked the court to consider a verdict of manslaughter instead of murder. However, Justice Singh rejected this argument and ruled that the evidence demonstrated clear intent. She noted that the deliberate use of weapons and the nature of the injuries pointed to a calculated act rather than one committed in the heat of the moment.

In delivering the sentence, the judge stated that the circumstances surrounding both killings, particularly the death of the child  left no doubt about Motilal’s intent.