The murder of Shadie Dassrath, 31, has stirred up bad memories for relatives, as her father was murdered 18 years ago in Tobago.

A grieving relative said, "This is making me relive all that bad memories. It is very painful. Shadie was 13 at the time. She never got over his killing, and she did not know how to grieve. She held her feelings inside."

Brian Singh, the father of four, died after his head was smashed with an object. A woman was charged with the murder, but after a few years was released from prison, the relative told Newsday by phone.

The relative spoke on behalf of the family.

Police found Dassrath's body in her home at Temple Street in La Romaine on Friday morning, hours after she argued with a 24-year-old man. The security guard told police investigators he last saw her alive on Thursday around 11 pm.

An autopsy at the Forensic Sciences Centre in St James found she died from blunt force trauma.

Police held the man, originally from Siparia, who remained in custody up to Thursday.

The relative said Dassrath confided in her that the man was abusive.

"She told me he used to beat and choke her. He threatened to kill her. She said a day they were eating together, and he tried to shove an egg down her throat," the relative said. "He smashed her phone once, soaked her bed, ransacked the apartment.

"I do not think Shadie ever reported any of these things about him to the police."

W/Cpl Callender, WPC Mohammed, PCs Lall and Vialva of the Homicide Bureau Region III are investigating.

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