Suren Seetal (left) in a GoFundMe photo, (right) the missing person flyer Avin Seetaram allegedly posted on Facebook (WSVN/screengrab)
Several weeks after a Florida airplane mechanic suddenly vanished after leaving work, just days before he was set to travel to the Caribbean, three suspects face a federal kidnapping and murder indictment.
Suren Seetal, of Miami-Dade, was 36 years old on the night that he left work for the last time. Seetal reportedly worked at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and Opa-locka Airport.
A GoFundMe campaign started by the victim’s sister detailed that Suren left work on Nov. 2, a Thursday evening, to run errands ahead of a trip to Trinidad to visit family, but he never made it home and wasn’t answering calls.
“Suren was last working at the airplane hanger at Banyan, FXE Airport in Fort Lauderdale, and left around 6:41pm Thursday November 2nd, 2023 to run some errands before his trip to Trinidad on Saturday,” said a post on the GoFundMe. “Suren did not return home Thursday night nor did he show up for work on Friday. His cell phone has been going to voicemail.”
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the grand jury indictments of three Broward County-based suspects in the airplane mechanic’s kidnapping and death.
Avin “Smalls” Seetaram, 24, Somjeet Christopher “Lil Chris” Singh, 29, and Gavin Hunter, 18, stand accused murder for hire and murder for hire conspiracy, kidnapping and kidnapping conspiracy, and obstruction of justice in the death of Suren Seetal, whose body was found on Nov. 21 on the Big Cypress Reservation, in the Everglades.
Avin Seetaram, Christopher Singh, Gavin Hunter pictured in a mug shots out of Broward County.
The feds said they have evidence that Seetal’s cell phone was near Somjeet Singh’s air conditioning business Dr. HVAC before the device went “off network.”‘
Local Fox affilate WSVN reported that in the days after Seetal disappeared Avin Seetaram posted a missing person flyer on Facebook, writing, “Please help us find our brother.”
Avin Seetaram’s alleged Facebook post (WSVN/screengrab)
The investigation to date has involved at least 11 different law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, local police, and local sheriffs offices.
“FBI Miami, BSO, MPD, and Miramar PD investigated the case with invaluable assistance from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Miccosukee Police Department, Margate Police Department, Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Miami-Dade Police Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Pembroke Pines Police Department, and the Seminole Police Department,” DOJ said. “The FBI notified Seetal’s family after his remains were discovered. The family’s cooperation was crucial in allowing the investigation to continue and culminate with today’s announcement of charges being filed.”
Court records reviewed by Law&Crime show that Seetaram was arrested on Nov. 21. As of Tuesday, records did not specify the arrest dates of Hunter and Singh and the criminal case is currently sealed. The charges carry a mandatory life sentence upon conviction, but the death penalty is also a potential punishment.
According to the DOJ, each of the three suspects will be arraigned in the coming weeks — Seetaram on Dec. 28, Hunter on Jan. 2, and Singh on Jan. 3.
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