Penal murder-suicide sparks domestic violence warnings

A murder-suicide has occurred in Penal, Trinidad and Tobago, involving 23-year-old Giselle Ougrah and 26-year-old Stefon Khandan. The bodies were discovered in an apartment at Sundarsingh Trace on a Friday evening after Ougrah failed to return home following a visit to Khandan on Wednesday.

Ougrah was found with multiple stab wounds, while Khandan was found deceased by hanging. Family members described the couple's one-year relationship as toxic, noting frequent arguments and cycles of breaking up and reconciling.

In the wake of the incident, psychiatrist Dr. Varma Deyalsingh has urged families to recognize and report warning signs of domestic violence, such as strangulation, threats, and controlling behavior. He emphasized that minor incidents of physical or verbal abuse can escalate into fatal violence and encouraged seeking help from the National Family Services or the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service’s Victim Support Unit.