A 29-year-old Rio Claro vendor who sold his produce at the San Fernando market was shot dead outside his home shortly after 2 am in a botched robbery attempt.
Police reports said Radhay Mahabir 49 was at his Tabaquite Rio Claro home around when he went outside to pack his produce into a van which he was accustomed doing at that hour.
While packing the vegetables Mahabir was confronted by three men who announced a hold-up. The men demanded cash but Mahabir told the bandits that he had no cash and was now preparing to go to the San Fernando market to conduct sales.
One of the men became enraged and shot the vendor who ran into his home and locked the front door.
He alerted his son who called the Rio Claro police but by the time officers arrived Mahabir was found lying on the ground in a pool of blood and appeared lifeless.
Police later detained a 26-year-old San Fernando man.
The man gave a confession statement that he and two others had planned to rob Mahabir but they did not have any intention to kill him.