A suspicious death investigation is underway in Trinidad after the body of 75-year-old Chunilal Bandoo was discovered hidden beneath two large suitcases in a storeroom of an occupied Curepe residence, according to St Joseph police.
Bandoo, a well-known lifelong resident of the area who lived alone following a recent stroke, was last spotted alive on Saturday socializing with friends, a common routine for the humor-loving retiree. Witnesses confirm he spent several hours at a popular local gathering spot near his home on Mohammed Lane, Mc Inroy Street, but never returned to his residence after the casual meetup.
When Bandoo failed to come home, concerned family members filed an official missing person report with local law enforcement. The search operation launched the following day, Sunday afternoon at 6 p.m., combining forces of the volunteer Hunters Search and Rescue Team led by Vallence Rambharat, and officers from the St Joseph Police Station, supervised by Superintendent Jaikaran and led by Corporals Goonraj and Dill. The multi-team search continued through the night and into the next morning, before investigators made the grim discovery at approximately 12:08 p.m. in a back storeroom of Bandoo’s neighbor’s occupied home.
First responders immediately cordoned off the crime scene and contacted the Homicide Bureau to take over the investigation. Crime scene technicians processed the area and collected multiple pieces of evidence for forensic testing. While investigators have noted visible marks on Bandoo’s body, they have stressed that an official post-mortem examination, scheduled for this week at the Forensic Science Centre in Federation Park, will be required to confirm the exact cause and manner of death.
Local residents who knew Bandoo described him as a friendly, outgoing community favorite who often spent afternoons socializing, sharing jokes and drinking beer with neighbors. He had survived a stroke in recent months, and while he had not fully recovered, he remained mobile and independent, living alone in his home. His only immediate family member, a daughter who currently resides in the United States, has already been notified of his death and is expected to travel back to Trinidad to make arrangements.
Multiple odd details have emerged from witness accounts that have left local residents with unanswered questions. After Bandoo went missing, his personal clothing—including a three-quarter length pants, a T-shirt, and slippers—were left at the front yard gathering spot where he was last seen. Witness accounts confirm the clothing was first moved to Bandoo’s family before being returned to the front of the property where his body was ultimately found, then later discarded on the side of the road after the yard gate was locked.
Most notably, neighbors say the storeroom where Bandoo’s body was found is kept locked with a heavy padlock, located at the far back of the large residential yard, hundreds of feet from the front area where Bandoo was socializing. “So the police said he cannot go there for himself. They say that somebody would have had to put him there,” one neighbor explained, confirming local suspicions that foul play may be involved. Two large suitcases were found stacked directly on top of Bandoo’s body, further deepening community concern.
While residents have raised questions about the suspicious circumstances of Bandoo’s death, they have said they remain patient waiting for official conclusions from the police investigation and forensic autopsy. As of press time, St Joseph police have not released any additional updates on potential suspects or motives in the case.