THE family members of Triumph resident, Somaria Sookdeo, are still awaiting answers as to why the 75-year-old woman was murdered in her home in March, 2016.

In March of 2016, Sookdeo, who was also called Elsie, was found dead in her Triumph home at around 04:40 hours. About two hours before this time, it was reported that she called her son-in-law, Krishna Sookdeo, and told him that bandits were trying to break into the house. She lived alone.

A post-mortem examination (PME) subsequently conducted revealed that the woman died as a result of blunt trauma to the head and strangulation.

“When she was murdered, lots of detectives came to the house; they found a weapon which they believed she was hit with and they spoke with some neighbours but nobody knew anything,” Sookdeo’s granddaughter, Indira Persaud told this newspaper recently.

Persaud however related that no one was ever arrested, or, to her knowledge, ever suspected for the murder of the woman. The results of the PME were the last bit of information the family received about the murder of Elsie, and Persaud contended that interest in the case has faded.

“It wasn’t a robbery, the police said it wasn’t a robbery,” Persaud said, adding that everything in the house was “intact”. In fact, according to reports, a bag with $200,000 was found lying next to the woman’s body.

As such, Persaud said that the intention of the perpetrators was to kill the woman. She however doesn’t know why they would want to do that, since she affirmed the woman was liked by persons in the area and was an avid church-goer.

Cognisant of this, Persaud highlighted that the family is still searching for answers so that they may have some bit of clarity and justice.

Earlier this year, the granddaughter paid a visit to the detectives who were investigating the matter in order to see what efforts are being made to bring the perpetrators to justice. The investigator she spoke to indicated that he would be looking into “cold cases” and promised to make contact with the family. Indira said, however, that he has not made any contact with the family and he no longer responds to her when she tries to contact him.

“I don’t know if my family would have any justice. I just want any justice and to know why they did it,” Persaid said, emotionally.