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Trinidad and Tobago – April 20, 2025 — In a chilling tale of horror, heartbreak, and unspeakable violence, 30-year-old nurse Odelle Lalman-Baptiste was found savagely murdered just hours after being abducted in a brazen carjacking and kidnapping incident that sparked a police shootout on the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway.

What began as a brief stop along Hospital Road in Carlsen Field late Friday night ended in bloodshed and national mourning.

According to police reports, around 11:00 p.m., Lalman-Baptiste and her husband, 29-year-old car dealer Mathias Baptiste, were ambushed when Mathias exited their white Hyundai H-100 truck to urinate. Suddenly, a black Nissan X-Trail SUV with no visible registration pulled up ominously beside them. Two gunmen stormed out and announced a robbery.

In a matter of minutes, the couple was stripped of their belongings — including $1,500 cash, two smartphones, and their vehicle. But the nightmare took an even darker turn when the assailants abducted Odelle at gunpoint and fled in the stolen truck.

Manhunt Ignited – Bullets Fly on the Highway

The Freeport Police quickly launched a manhunt. Using GPS tracking, officers from the North Central Division Task Force zeroed in on the stolen vehicle roughly 30 minutes later near the Eastern Correctional Rehabilitation Centre in Santa Rosa. A high-speed pursuit ended when the suspects crashed into a drain — and the situation exploded into a hail of gunfire.

One suspect was shot dead in the confrontation. A Glock pistol, a magazine, multiple 9mm rounds, and spent shell casings were recovered from the scene. The second gunman managed to escape and remains at large, prompting a full-scale dragnet by authorities.

A Nation Shattered – Odelle’s Body Discovered

As dawn broke, so did the hearts of a nation. Police confirmed the worst: Odelle’s body was discovered in Carlsen Field, just yards away from where she was abducted. A senior police officer revealed that she had been stabbed and had her throat slit, in an act described as gruesome and merciless.

Lalman-Baptiste, a dedicated healthcare worker, wife, and mother, leaves behind a grieving husband and a three-year-old child who will now grow up without a mother.

Outrage and Heartbreak

The brutal slaying has sparked widespread outrage, with calls mounting for swift justice, tighter security measures, and the immediate capture of the second suspect.

“This is evil beyond comprehension,” said one senior officer. “This woman’s life was snatched away with no mercy. We won’t rest until we bring her killer to justice.”

Social media has erupted with tributes to Odelle, remembered as a kind, hardworking nurse whose passion was saving lives — not losing hers in such a cruel and senseless way.

Authorities continue to urge the public to come forward with any information that could lead to the capture of the second suspect.

This tragedy marks another grim chapter in Trinidad’s escalating crime crisis — one that now leaves a child motherless, a husband devastated, and a nation in mourning.