Adventist Local Church Elder Tragically Killed on New Year’s Eve in Trinidad

Randall Hector was a dedicated leader, regional church leaders and local members say.

January 9, 2025 | Port of Spain, Trinidad | Royston Philbert, CARU Staff and IAD News Staff

Seventh-day Adventists in the South Caribbean Conference (SCC) are mourning the tragic loss of a local church elder who was killed outside the Stanmore Avenue Seventh-day Adventist Church in Port of Spain, Trinidad. The incident took place on Dec. 31, 2024, shortly after the conclusion of the church’s New Year’s Eve service.

Randall Hector, 43, was killed in a drive-by ambush outside the church in front of his wife and children. According to media reports, Hector was leaving the church and heading to his car parked on Stanmore Avenue when two vehicles pulled alongside him. Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots. Hector, struck in the chest multiple times, was transported to Port of Spain General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“The Seventh- day Adventist Church in Trinidad and Tobago and the entire Caribbean Union are saddened by the tragic loss of an innocent and incredible member, Brother Randall Hector,” said Caribbean Union President Pastor Kern Tobias. “His service to church, country and his family has been notable.”

Randall Hector [Photo: SCC Media/IAD]

Regional church leaders and members said Hector was a dedicated leader within the Adventist community. He served on the Executive Committee of the South Caribbean Conference and provided legal counsel to both the SCC and the Caribbean Union Conference (CARU). Hector was also a member of the Executive Committee of the Caribbean Religious Liberty Association (CARLA) and was a featured speaker at regional congresses across the Caribbean for more than ten years. Additionally, he served as the attorney for the Tobago Mission and as well as on the boards of the Caribbean Union College Secondary School and Port of Spain SDA Primary School.

“He was fully entrenched in the life of the church,” SCC president Pastor Leslie Moses said.

Dr. Clive Dottin, CARU’s Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Director, said, “Hector served with integrity, passion, and a commitment to fairness. He believed in justice and sought to honor God, His church, and his family.”

Pastor David Holder, SCC ministerial secretary and Hector’s former pastor, described him as a faithful servant. “Though he was highly esteemed in the legal fraternity, he remained humble in his relationships with everyone. We are deeply grieved by this brazen act, yet confident in God’s favor upon him,” Holder said.

“God has not forgotten us,” Moses said in a message to the church. “What has happened will be dealt with by God in His own time.”

Moses declared Sabbath, Jan. 4, 2025, as a day of prayer for the nation. “We will pray for our country and ask God to bring change to our nation,” he said. He urged members to pray for Hector’s family, including his wife, children, parents, and sister.

Dottin, who ministered to Hector’s family, highlighted the faith of his widow, Adenike. “She said she wanted a lifetime with him but is grateful for the 22 years she had with this extraordinary man. She is thanking God that she and the children were spared,” Dottin shared.

Increasing Violence

The murder marked a grim milestone, bringing Trinidad and Tobago’s 2024 homicide count to 624. In response to a surge in gang violence, the government of Trinidad and Tobago has implemented a state of emergency, granting police additional powers to curb reprisal killings and other gang-related activities.

The assassination has left Adventist members and leaders across the territory in shock. CARU executive secretary Pastor Johnson Frederick said, “My heart bleeds for the loss of our dear brother and Union attorney, Randall Hector. May God cradle the family in His strong and everlasting arms.”

Tobias expressed concern about the state of situation. “We are in great grief,” he said. “A young family shattered by this senseless act. We are looking to Jesus who will work it out and put an end to this situation one day.”

Violence in the territory is spreading into new areas, forcing people to live in fear.  Church members face the same reality, leaders said. “Many churches have resorted to virtual night services to mitigate exposure to outside violence,” said SCC communication director Pastor Eddy Williams.

Despite the challenges, Moses encouraged members to trust in God. “Let us worship the Lord and turn to Him for comfort, consolation, and protection. Let us pray for relief in our nation,” he said. “Let us trust in the knowledge that God knows this situation and He will take care.”

Assisting Members

During the Sabbath worship service on Jan. 4, the SCC administration dedicated time to provide an intervention, addressing the trauma that had deeply affected the congregation.

“Members were invited to share in the burdens of the immediate grieving family members and to express their personal reactions,” said senior pastor Brian Defritas. “The congregation was comforted by the principles laid out in Psalm 11, which emphasize that God sees and knows all things and has the power to preserve the foundation of His people. The church will continue to provide professional intervention and support to aid the congregation’s recovery.”

Church leaders in the South Caribbean Conference expressed gratitude for the global concern shown by members worldwide, who have offered prayers and support during this challenging time.

The South Caribbean Conference, part of Caribbean Union in the Inter-American Division of Seventh-day Adventists, oversees 166 congregations and serves over 61,300 members across Trinidad.