Mother of two and fire victim murdered in Kingstown (+ Video)

On Monday, February 6, two days after her daughter was brutally snatched from her, Idor Billingy was still fighting for words to describe how she felt.

Idor’s daughter, Altavea Billingy, a 28-year-old caretaker from Chester Cottage, died in hospital on Saturday, February 4, 2023 after she was stabbed in Kingstown that same day.

It was only on January, 20 that Altavea lost all her earthly belongings when the two bedroom home in which she and her six-year-old son resided with a family friend was gutted in an afternoon fire.

Billingy, the mother of two boys aged six and 10, is alleged to have been killed by her former lover Eldon “Max” Charles, a 35-year-old tradesman of Cedars.

Up to the time of publication, Charles was in police custody assisting with the investigations into the stabbing death which occurred at about 9:45 p.m. on Grenville Street, Kingstown in the vicinity of the Anglican Church.

On Monday, SEARCHLIGHT visited Chester Cottage and spoke to family members of the deceased woman. It was a sombre atmosphere at the Billingy residence; there was not the trace of a smile from anyone at the home.

Idor Billingy, mother of Altavea.

Idor, Altavea’s mother, lives in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) and spoke to SEARCHLIGHT using her son’s cellular phone. She said her daughter celebrated her 28th birthday last December.

“I can’t explain that feeling. I cannot explain that feeling. That feeling is a feeling that, even you can understand, it’s beyond words,” Idor, who appeared to be fighting to hold back tears, commented.

She said she last spoke to her daughter on her (Idor’s) birthday on January 23 this year.

“You know, all I am saying is that, I can’t, right now, I don’t have no words. It’s just something that, it hurts you, it’s deep, I don’t know, I can’t find words to express how I feel, and my family and my grandchildren,” Idor said.

Marcella Andrews, aunt of deceased Altavea Billingy

She told SEARCHLIGHT that one of her daughter’s 10-year-old son lives with her in Trinidad and he hasn’t seen his mother face to face in a number of years.

“My daughter is a joyful person, she joyful, she like to laugh and she just likes to be happy. Very joyful, she is a kind person, not a troublesome person, a violent person, she is not that type of person,” the bereaved mother said.

“Anybody could tell you she love to laugh, she just likes to be happy.” Idor said she hopes that the person who killed her daughter will be brought to justice as soon as possible.

Also speaking about Altavea were her aunt, Marcella Andrews and her cousins, Perricia Andrews, Lovinda Andrews and Melisia Billingy.

They said Altavea moved to New Montrose from Cedars a few weeks ago, allegedly fleeing from an unwanted relationship.

However, after fleeing Cedars with her son Joshua to live with her friend, Sylven Richards in New Montrose, last October, the house the three occupied was razed by fire rendering them homeless; they lost all their worldly possessions in the blaze.

Family members said on Monday that to them, the house fire was “strange”.

FROM LEFT: Perricia Andrews, Lovinda Andrews, Melisia Billingy, cousins of Altavea Billingy who was stabbed in Kingstown on Saturday and later died at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

They also related seeing Charles (Altavea’s ex) in a video recording consoling Altavea and Sylven not too long after the fire.

Melisia said she knew her cousin all her life and described her as a loving family oriented person who loved her children.

“I don’t know the details but I know recently they (Altavea, Sylven and Charles) came up here and from what I saw, now that everything has played out, I kind of have an idea of what was happening there,” said Melisia in relation to Altavea’s failed relationship.

“Too much memories to mention, we have a lot of memories together we went Canash last October with the kids and some friends and I was in the water balancing a glass of alcohol on my head and Altavea was taking the photos,” Melisia recalled.

“More than anything, I’m upset, very angry. I feel sad, but the anger is too much. This is a young lady, 28 years old, in the prime of her life, and she has been through so much already and it’s like every time I think about her kids that that chokes me up…,” Melisia said.

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