DETECTIVES AT the St. Andrew North Police Division said they have not identified any suspects or established any motive for last Wednesday's double murder of businessmen Ervasio Rangeet and his friend Ralph Subratie.
Both men were shot inside Mr. Rangeet's business place at E.L.M. Hardware on Red Hills Road, Kingston 10. Mr. Rangeet died on the spot and Mr. Subratie later succumbed to his injuries.
The police has recovered a motor car on Rodney Road, off Waltham Park Road in Kingston, which they believe was the get-away car.
Shutters were down and the glass doors locked when The Gleaner visited the hardware a few days ago. Mr. Rangeet's widow was too overwhelmed to give an interview at her Chancery Hall, Red Hills home.
The police reported that at about 1:50 p.m. on Wednesday, Mr. Rangeet was at his businessplace when two men entered and requested seeds and nails.
The proprietor was about to attend to the men when one of them pulled a gun and shot him in the face, killing him on the spot. Mr. Subratie, who was also in the building, was also shot and injured. He later died at hospital. The police said the men escaped in a green Nissan Sunny motor car, taking with them Mr. Rangeet's suitcase containing an undetermined sum of money.
The Hardware Merchants's Association (HMA) condemned the double murder, and said the frequent incidents of robbery and loss of lives experienced by those contributing to the economic development of the society, impacted negatively on business practices.
HMA's chairman Michael Brooks said energy that could be devoted to enhancing and honing entrepreneurial skills has to be concentrated on security matters. He called for a national effort from all sectors of the society to combat crime and, as a short-term solution, it recommended increased patrols especially in the violent areas.
