Dragonfly Centre: Julie was Killed by ‘Someone She Knew’

Mission

Non-Profit, 501(c)(3)

Mission: The Dragonfly Centre is committed to the elimination of domestic violence against women and their children by providing victim friendly services that promotes the empowerment of survivors; through advocacy, public awareness and education and community based initiatives.

Vision: The Dragonfly Centre envisions a world free of violence against women and their children and social justice for all. We are founded on the vision and belief that every person has the right to live in a safe environment free from violence and the fear of violence and strive to work collaboratively with the community to provide victim friendly services to support domestic violence victims, survivors to the stage of thriving.

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Thursday, February 6, 2014

Julie was Killed by ‘Someone She Knew’

By Susan Mohammed

Story Created: Feb 6, 2014 at 12:04 AM ECT

Story Updated: Feb 6, 2014 at 9:32 AM ECT

Killed: Julie Duke-Guerraro was found Tuesday bound and gagged, with her throat slit.

COUVA mother Julie Duke-Guerraro bled to death from a single fatal stab wound to the neck which may have been inflicted by someone she knew.

Pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov, who performed a forensic examination yesterday, said there were no other marks of violence on Duke-Guerraro’s body, which suggested she did not resist or try to defend herself.

Duke-Guerraro’s body was discovered bound and blindfolded on Tuesday afternoon in the bedroom of her home at Perth Avenue, Perseverance Village.

The mother of three was found by her brother, Lester Duke, 18, who went to check on her after calls to her cellphone went unanswered during the day and she did not turn up for work as a preschool teacher.

Alexandrov told the Express he believed Duke-Guerraro was asleep when attacked.

“She did not have a single scratch on her body indicative of self-defence or resistance to her killer.

It’s a possibility that she was sleeping when she was tied up and she may have been killed by someone she knew. It’s possible that the perpetrator had access to the house, so there was no fight. But that is for the police to find out,” he said.

Alexandrov said the weapon used had a three-inch single-edge blade, similar to a kitchen knife.
Duke-Guerraro’s mother, Lucy Duke, said the family was baffled by the killing, as her daughter never spoke of feeling threatened or scared of anyone.

She said Duke-Guerraro was married for almost ten years to Dillon Guerraro, but the two separated last year and their relationship was amicable.

Duke-Guerraro was a preschool teacher at Learning Tree Early Childhood Care Centre at Mary Street, Lisas Gardens.

Residents in the area yesterday expressed shock over the death.

The mother said she last saw Duke-Guerraro on Sunday at the christening of a relative. “She stayed about half an hour and everything was normal. She brought her children because I didn’t see them in a few days. Everything was normal with her,” she said.

Duke said the family wanted justice for her daughter’s death.

“I want to find out who did this to her and let the law deal with them. I leave everything in the hands of God,” said Duke.

Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Julie-was-killed-by-someone-she-knew-243880551.html

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A Little Background…..

In 2007 I was introduced to the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is a beautiful tropical country located in the southern most part of the Caribbean archipelago. However, the opportunity to travel to this part of the world would not present itself until March of 2009. It was an incredible experience to be able to visit a country where I had never been before and I literally knew no-one. I had the privilege to experience a new culture and meet many wonderful people who made my trip an amazing experience. Although the purpose of my visit was recreational, something happened that changed all of that. One evening while on a hike with my tour guide and one of the locals at The ASA Wright Nature Centre, one of the men asked me where I was from and what I did for a living. It was at that moment that I disclosed that I was a Domestic Violence Advocate. He paused, looked at me and replied,… “we need you here”. At that moment I did not fully understand what he meant or how I could help.

A few days after this I visited one of the local court houses to learn about how someone could obtain a protection order. What I discovered disturbed me greatly, to say the least. The process by which abused individuals could obtain legal protections left much to be desired. This sparked grave concern for victims coupled with a desire to learn more about the local system and services. After I finished my travels all I could think about was the need of the people in Trinidad and Tobago. It was shortly after my return to the United States that the Dragonfly Centre for Women’s Empowerment and Transformation began to take form. While completing my Bachelors degree at Evergreen College, I developed an Individual Learning Contract entitled “Domestic Violence in Trinidad and Tobago” and was awarded The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. This allowed me to return to Trinidad and Tobago for my final quarter at the end of December of 2009 for my nine week study. My focus was on services addressing domestic violence. What I came away with was the echoing cries for help by the people who freely shared their personal views and stories. Although I wasn’t quite sure what, I knew I had to do something. As a consequence, it was these cries that gave birth to and helped shape the Dragonfly Centre to be what it is, a multifaceted institution with a focus on public education, shaping public policy and providing direct victim friendly services to support families dealing with domestic violence.