Two men arrested in Cumuto Cemetery probe in Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago: Officials are investigating an incident at Cumuto Cemetery in which two men from Arima were detained on Saturday, 18 April 2026. Police said the investigation involves the handling of 56 human remains including 50 infants, four adult males, and two adult females. The infants were mostly stillborns or newborns, many still bearing identification tags.

The suspects have been identified as 25-year-old Nigel Mayers and 18-year-old Michael Barnswell, both residents of Bye Pass Road, Arima, who were detained in connection with the illegal burial of 56 bodies at Cumuto Cemetery. 

According to police reports, the officers from the Northern Division initiated their investigation on Saturday, when they received an anonymous report after which they arrived at the scene and found two suspicious men digging up a grave at Cumuto Cemetery. 

Officers noticed that the men had already dug up about three feet to dispose of bodies, following which they asked men who they were and to show their identity, responding to which the both men claimed that they were contracted grave diggers and hired for a pauper’s burial. 

However, the officers did not believe them and asked them to show their legal documents but when officers did not receive any document from the men to support their claim, they arrested them from the scene. The officers also found bodies of the people nearby which were ready to be buried by the men. 

One officer further noticed a van that was speeding away from the scene after leaving the bodies at the graveyard and quickly notified the local police officers so that they could trace a van and arrest the people.

The bodies of the people have since been removed from the cemetery and transported to the mortuary where a post-mortem examination is being conducted to identify the bodies after District medical officers inspected the scene. 

Authorities claimed that as of now, only five adult bodies have been identified as Shanty Persad, Gladis Whiteman, Chanadaye Ganpat, Shamfa Khalie, Edward Gomez. One male adult is yet to be identified by the forensics team.

Since then the officers attached to Trinidad and Tobago police service have launched their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. The officers are also investigating the T&T Funeral Services Co-operative Society, a group believed to handle unclaimed bodies under arrangements through the North Central Regional Health Authority.

K. Allen & Sons Funeral Directors Ltd and Allen Crematorium Ltd. company are also being interrogated by the officers after the men claimed that they are the employees of this company. However the company denied their claims and denied any connection to the incident as well as with those men. 

The caretaker of the Cumuto Cemetery also claimed that they were unaware of the activity of the mass burial and had no idea of any illegal activities.

Currently the investigation into the matter is being conducted and led by the officers from the Northern Division as they are assisting the TTPS in the ongoing investigation. They are also trying to locate the vehicle which sped off from the scene after delivering dead bodies.

Allister Guevarro, the commissioner of police, has deeply condemned the incident and ordered a high-priority investigation on this matter. During a press release, the police commissioner said that “the matter will be treated as "improper disposal of a cadaver" rather than homicide.” He further said, “this incident is very disturbing, and we understand that it has emotionally impacted many families and the wider national community.”

Authorities stated that the investigation into the matter is ongoing and urged people to help them find the remaining perpetrators who fled the scene.