Family of Lauderhill man killed on Caribbean island plead for justice
The family of a South Florida man (George Frankie Mitchell) who was ambushed and killed outside a market he owned in the island of Bequia, St Vincent are demanding justice in his murder.
Speaking with 7News on Wednesday, the Gooding family shared the good times they had with their husband and father, George, known as Frankie.
“My husband was one of the kindest, hardworking, gentle, family-oriented, warm persons you could ever find,” said Mary Gooding, the victim’s widow.
Frankie traveled from his Lauderhill home to the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where the family have a second home and recently opened a supermarket.
“That was my husband’s dream, that was his legacy: to create generational wealth,” said Mary.
To create wealth for his son, Zeandrae, who is 18 years old but has some challenges after being born at 24 weeks.
“Frankie has this middle softness in his heart for Zeandrae. Zeandrae cannot fend for himself,” said Mary. “He would not be able to go to college.”
Zeandrae also adored his father.
“He was so loving,” he said.
The loving father, who has five children and a grandson, was murdered Saturday while leaving his supermarket on the island.
“His friend was there driving and [Frankie] was going in the passenger side. When the person went up behind of him, right up, direct contact, and shot him in the back of his head,” said Mary, “and he fell to the ground, and the individual just turned around and give him two more bullets in his head, and he just ran off.”
Friends of Frankie attempted CPR, but the 60-year-old would not survive.
Mary, his wife and partner of 25 years, said she received a call from police in St. Vincent days later.
“I’m not getting proper updates of what’s going on in my husband’s case,” she said. “As far as I know, they have the major evidence on hand except for the gun, the clothes, the gloves that the killer wore.”
Mary has contacted the FBI and the U.S. embassy, telling them to open an investigation. She said Frankie knew something bad was going to happen, and he expressed his concerns in a voicemail recorded days before the murder.
“Hey, Keon, this is your dad. I don’t know if this message here I’m sending to you is – I’m not even sure there will be a next one,” Frankie said in the voicemail. “I just want you to know that I want you to make sure to take care of Zeandrae for me. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but something serious is going to happen here. If this is my last voicemail, I just want you to know that I love all of you.”
“It’s really hard. I cry a lot,” said Zeandrae.
Now he and the rest of the Goodings hope Frankie’s last words lead to the person responsible.
“Find him. He has to rot in jail, rot in jail,” said Zeandrae.
Mary said she has not heard back from the FBI. The family is planning to have Frankie’s body brought back to Florida and make funeral arrangements, as they continue to wait for answers.
