Shizelle Hernandez

Shizelle Hernandez, was last seen on Saturday, June 18, 2011 wearing a green top, knee-length khaki pants and blue slippers at the time.

 

Trinidad Express Story:

Nineteen-year-old Air Guard trainee Shizelle Hernandez had a bright future ahead of her.

According to her brother Davon Hernandez, “She was the most intelligent, God-fearing and all-round good person. She is a person of service. She worked at the bank, in welfare and then went into Air Guard, always wanting to serve people.”

That was until she left home one Saturday afternoon seven years ago with the promise to return after she visited someone at the Sangre Grande Hospital.

That promise never materialised.

Her family told the Express that Hernandez had returned to her Vega de Oropouche home on break after a six-week training stint at Teteron Barracks in Chaguaramas with the Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard.

She was expected to return to camp on the following Monday and decided to visit someone she knew on her day off.

Camera footage obtained from the Sangre Grande Hospital showed Shizelle arriving at the hospital on Saturday, June 18, 2011 in a white panel van.

Shortly after she was again seen, this time exiting the facility.

Her family believes that Shizelle did not see the person she intended to meet and left as a result.

The time stamp on the CCTV cameras showed that Shizelle crossed Ojoe Road, opposite the hospital at around 11 p.m.

However, that was as far as the camera could go.

Shizelle was wearing a green top, knee-length khaki pants and blue slippers at the time.

On the Tuesday after, members of the Air Guard showed up at Hernandez’s residence to enquire about her whereabouts, and this was when the family learnt that Shizelle was missing.

Until then, they were of the belief that Shizelle had returned to the camp after she visited the hospital that weekend.

When the Express reached out to then training officer, Flight Lieutenant Alexander to comment on the matter, he redirected us to the Chief of Defence Staff Hayden Pritchard.

Efforts to reach Pritchard, however, were unsuccessful.

Hernandez’s aunt, Louise Boney, said in an interview last week Wednesday, “All they (the Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard) did was come to our home to get back their uniforms. Because trainees were not allowed to keep cellphones with them while on camp, Shizelle did not own one.”

However, the aunt said, “She used her cousin’s phone to call someone before she left home. We don’t know who the person is, but we gave all the details to the police. We only know the person who was driving the white van and that is someone we know in the area and he was just giving her a lift.”

Officers attached to the Sangre Grande Police Station led by Supt Jude Worrell, Sgt Chris Edwards and then PC Larry McQueen carried on an extensive search for Hernandez.

According to Worrel, “We did an extensive amount of work. We had the help of the Coast Guard, Anti-Kidnapping Squad and the CIS. This went on for months and we even had the victim and witness support unit visit and counsel the family.”

Worrel added, “Everyone worked on this case really hard. It rocked all of us.”

Case not closed

Police reports indicate that many people were taken in for questioning, including Shizelle’s boyfriend at the time.

Three other suspects were also held for questioning immediately after she was reported missing.

They were all released.

Two new suspects then confessed to having thrown Hernandez’s body into the Ortoire River in Mayaro.

The Eastern Division Task Force officers along with the Coast Guard and other agencies searched the river and the forest in the surrounding areas but a body was never found.

The men were never charged.

However, Sgt Edwards told the Express last week Thursday: “The case is still considered open. We received very sensitive information and we are still working on it. It is still under investigation.”

Years later, and countless conspiracy theories later, Hernandez’s brother says, “I believe it is someone that she knows.”

Davon added that Shizelle is his only sister and he grieves for her daily.

The family said they received many conflicting stories about Shizelle’s disappearance and even got a prank call for an $18,000 ransom.

The Express was also informed that the Anti-Kidnapping Unit “traced every one of the calls” but Shizelle was never found.