Security: Trinidad and Tobago
Key Facts
- Who. Spa owner Kavita Deosarine, 55, and customer Cheryl Dickson, 64, were both shot dead.
- What. A gunman in a blue coverall entered the spa and fled; no suspect has been named.
- Where. SOHO Beauty Heaven, a spa in a plaza in Couva, a town in central Trinidad.
- When. Wednesday morning; the bodies were still at the scene around midday.
- Status. As of 28 October 2026, 18:30 GMT
A Wednesday morning visit to a neighbourhood beauty spa in central Trinidad ended with two women shot dead. Spa owner Kavita Deosarine, 55, and customer Cheryl Dickson, 64, died at SOHO Beauty Heaven in Couva, a town in central Trinidad.
Trinidad and Tobago is a Caribbean twin-island republic that many US travellers and members of the diaspora know well. It has struggled with gun crime, and families abroad will want to know what happened in Couva.
Police were still investigating around midday, and the bodies remained at the scene. No arrest, suspect name or motive has been reported.
What We Know
The shooting happened at SOHO Beauty Heaven, a beauty spa in a plaza in Couva, on Wednesday morning. Local reports put the time at about 9:20 a.m. local time, although one report says about 10 a.m.
One report places the plaza at the corner of Charlotte Street and Southern Main Road. The plaza houses several businesses, including a special school for children.
Local reports say a man in a blue coverall, a one-piece work garment, walked into the spa carrying a firearm. He approached Dickson, asked about the vehicle she was driving and shot her twice.
The man then confronted Deosarine in another room of the spa. Two gunshots were heard seconds later, and he fled.
Deosarine, 55, owned the spa and lived in Midway Park, in the central Trinidad town of Freeport. Dickson, 64, was a customer and lived on La Croix Street in Couva.
No other injuries have been reported. Police worked at the scene while the bodies remained there around midday.
These details come from local reports and police have not yet published their own account. Readers should treat the sequence of events as reported, not as confirmed findings.
What Is Not Known
We have no confirmed information on how many people were inside the spa at the time. We also do not know whether the gunman left on foot or in a vehicle.
Police have not named a suspect, and no arrest has been reported. The man described in local reports as wearing a blue coverall remains unidentified.
The motive is unknown. It is also unclear whether either woman was specifically targeted.
Reports say the gunman asked Dickson about her vehicle, but no source has explained why. We draw no conclusion from that detail.
There is no official police statement on the circumstances of the shooting. Even the time is reported differently, with accounts giving about 9:20 a.m. and about 10 a.m.
Reports do not say whether investigators have recovered the weapon. Until police speak, these questions stay open.
What It Means for Travelers and US Readers
For Americans with family in central Trinidad, the first questions are practical ones about safety and news. Official police channels remain the place to look for confirmed information.
The country’s gun-crime record is the wider backdrop, though it does not explain this case. We report the known facts and do not link the shooting to any wider trend.
Trinidad and Tobago draws US visitors and a large diaspora, so a shooting in a public plaza matters to people who travel there or have family nearby. Police have not said whether the attack was targeted, so it is too early to draw conclusions about wider risk.
Travellers can check official government travel advisories for current guidance before any trip. Official updates from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, the national police force, are the most reliable source for confirmed details.
The case is at an early stage, and the facts are still being gathered. We will report confirmed details from police as they emerge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in Couva on Wednesday?
Two women were shot dead at SOHO Beauty Heaven, a spa in a plaza in Couva, central Trinidad, on Wednesday morning. Local reports say a gunman walked in, shot a customer, then confronted the owner and fled.
Who were the victims?
The victims were Kavita Deosarine, 55, the spa owner, of Midway Park, Freeport, and Cheryl Dickson, 64, a customer, of La Croix Street, Couva. No other injuries have been reported.
Has anyone been arrested?
No arrest has been reported, and the suspect has not been identified. The motive is unknown, and police have not issued an official statement on the circumstances.
Should US travellers be concerned?
Police have not described the circumstances, so it is too early to judge any wider risk. US travellers can check official government travel advisories before they go.
Sources
Local Trinidad and Tobago news reports: local report 1 · local report 2 · local report 3
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief