SIX months after Dennis Daniel Jugoon, 20, was kidnapped, a lone gunman ended his life at his Lezama Trace, St John’s Road, South Oropouche home on June 1.

His elder brother Gary, 39, told Newsday he believes it was all part of a continuing saga involving a drug deal gone bad over a year ago.

In that incident in May 2023, his cousin Adesh was ambushed and killed while seated in his car on Belle Vue Road by occupants of another vehicle who opened fire on him.

His wife, who was with him was not injured and drove the car to the nearby police station.

Gary said while his brother was never arrested or charged, he reluctantly wants to believe he was involved in the drug trade which ended his life on Saturday night.

Gary said he and his son, Rommel, 19 at the time, were also shot and injured last year, but that is unrelated to this incident.

“I wasn’t part of that, but I still get shoot, you understand. People feel because we are family, we all associated with the same thing. I not in that.

“I work hard, hustling here and there, selling mangoes, oranges and a few market things on the road right here. I spend all my money building my house,” he said, pointing to his flat, unfinished concrete structure.

“I got shot, my son got shot, my cousin (Adesh Ramrattan) get killed and now my brother. This all started with a drug deal gone bad with my cousin who was doing something he should not do.

“I don’t want to believe my brother was part of it, but all this back to be shooting could be lining up to the same scene.”

He said he was now fearful for his life.Gary said, after the death of both parents, his brother dropped out of high-school and developed a love for the sea.

It was in December 2023, while on a fishing expedition with four other men at Mosquito Creek, they were kidnapped by Venezuelan nationals who took them to Venezuela.

He said a ransom of $25,000 was demanded, but no money was paid and he was released after one month.

He said Jugoon had no permanent job and lived close by in a three-bedroom house his mom left him. He became afraid of living alone and moved into a small make shift home next to Gary’s home where he was shot and killed.

“After my son and I got shot, he left and went to live in Tobago to avoid any problems. With no friends and family across there, he came back here so he could be close to me.”

He said Jugoon went to Chaguaramas for a sailing expedition on Saturday morning and returned late that night.

“He came by me, take a little smoke, went by one of my cousins nearby to drop some snacks and walked back home”

While walking back to his home, Jugoon told the person who accompanied him, he heard something.

[caption id="attachment_1087374" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Gary Jugoon speaks with the media on June 2 after his brother Dennis was shot and killed on Saturday night.The shooting took place outside their home at Lezama Street, St John's Village, South Oropouche. - Yvonne Webb[/caption]

“He turned back but saw nothing. When he got to his door, the gunman cam