A shocking case of brutal domestic violence has thrown the small Caribbean island of Tobago into mourning, as local nurse Nicoya Bernard remains in critical condition in the intensive care unit of Scarborough General Hospital following a vicious attack by her husband Steve Paul, who later died in a self-set fire that destroyed their family home. The sequence of unthinkable violence unfolded shortly before 8 a.m. on the day of the incident, when an argument between the five-year married couple escalated into assault, with Paul slashing Bernard deeply across the neck. Despite her severe injury, Bernard managed to escape the property and flee to nearby safety, alerting relatives to the unfolding catastrophe.
Rather than ending the violence after his wife fled, Paul continued his rampage by setting the family’s Mentor Drive, Signal Hill residence ablaze. Trapped inside the burning home at the time was Bernard’s 19-year-old disabled son, triggering an urgent race against time for first responders. Emergency fire crews launched a swift rescue operation, successfully pulling the uninjured teenager from the smoke and flames before the structure was completely engulfed. Paul, a 50-something employee of the Tobago House of Assembly’s Department of Marine Resources and Fisheries, refused to flee the inferno he started, and his charred remains were found on the living room floor after firefighters extinguished the blaze. An autopsy has been ordered to confirm the exact cause of his death.
Bernard’s uncle, Bernard Marshall, described the terrifying moment he encountered his bleeding niece moments after the attack. He had just returned from a routine trip to buy breakfast ingredients when he spotted thick smoke billowing from his niece’s home, before seeing Bernard running toward him, covered in blood and wrapped only in a towel. “She told me that man had snapped and chopped her in the neck. I got her to safety at my home immediately, called for help to get her to the hospital, then contacted the ambulance,” Marshall recalled. He added that Paul had a known volatile temper, so the violent outburst did not come as a complete surprise, noting “I am sure he intended to kill her.”
Family friend Leroy Fraser, who stepped in to rush Bernard to the hospital before the ambulance arrived, described the chaotic scene he encountered upon arrival. “I noticed the smoke getting thicker as I pulled onto Mentor Drive. When I found out what had happened, I didn’t think twice – I just went to her, covered her, and drove straight to the hospital,” Fraser said. He added that even as she bleed heavily from her neck wound, Bernard repeatedly told rescuers that her disabled son was still trapped inside the burning home.
The tragedy has left Paul’s immediate family reeling with disbelief. His sister Paula Paul told local media that her brother was known as a quiet, reserved man who never shared his personal struggles with relatives, and that the pair had always appeared to have a stable, affectionate relationship. “I was at work when I got the news, and I almost collapsed. I still can’t believe it happened,” she said. “He never told us anything was wrong, even if he had problems he kept them to myself. He and Nicoya always seemed to get along well – this is just shocking. We just have to stay strong as a family now.”
This incident marks the second fatal domestic violence-related tragedy to hit Trinidad and Tobago in less than a week. Last Friday, the bodies of a young couple, Giselle Ougrah and Stefan Khandan, were discovered in their rented Penal apartment. Ougrah was found dead on a bed with a knife nearby, while investigators believe Khandan died by suicide immediately after killing her.
Local law enforcement and community leaders are now using the tragedy to issue a renewed public call for at-risk couples to seek help before disputes turn deadly. Senior Superintendent of Police Rodhil Kirk explained that investigators from the Scarborough Homicide Bureau are leading a full probe into the incident, and reminded residents that free, confidential support is available through the police service’s Special Victims Unit for anyone experiencing relationship conflict or threats of violence.
“To any couples struggling with relationship issues: you don’t have to handle this alone. Be proactive – reach out for professional counseling, talk through your problems with trained experts instead of bottling everything up, because bottling anger often leads to disaster,” Kirk advised. “If you find yourself in a threatening situation, contact police early. We have trained units ready to help you keep yourself and your children safe.”
Nigel Taitt, the local area representative for Signal Hill/Patience Hill, who personally knew the couple, said he was deeply hurt by the unforeseen tragedy. He echoed Kirk’s call, urging couples facing conflict to reject violence as a solution. “I always advise people that if you need help, reach out to guidance counselors for support. As men, we need to walk away from volatile situations instead of escalating them. Violence should never be your first choice – seek help and guidance first,” Taitt said.