Crime and Courts

3 charged in kidnapping, murder of South Florida airplane mechanic

Suren Seetal was last seen at his job Nov. 2 at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport

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Prosecutors have charged three men for the kidnapping and murder of a South Florida airplane mechanic who was reported missing last month.

Suren Seetal, a 36-year-old who worked at Opa-locka Airport and Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, was last seen Nov. 2 at his job in Fort Lauderdale. His family said he didn't come home that night and didn't show up to work the next day.

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On Monday, a federal grand jury indicted Broward residents 24-year-old Avin "Smalls" Seetaram; 29-year-old Somjeet Christopher Singh, also known as "Lil Chris;" and 18-year-old Gavin Hunter of murder for hire conspiracy, murder for hire, kidnapping conspiracy, kidnapping, and obstruction of justice for their involvement in Seetal's violent kidnapping and murder, prosecutors announced.

Avin "Smalls" Seetaram, Somjeet Christopher Singh and Gavin Hunter
Avin "Smalls" Seetaram, Somjeet Christopher Singh and Gavin Hunter

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According to criminal complaints and the indictment, Seetal's phone was in the vicinity of Singh's Margate air conditioning business, Dr. HVAC, before going off network.

Seetal's body was found Nov. 21 at Big Cypress Reservation, prosecutors said. Further details were not available and officials haven't disclosed a motive.

Seetaram and Singh were arrested back on Nov. 21, and Hunter was arrested Friday, records showed.

Seetal's family told NBC6 back in November that his disappearance was "out of character." He was supposed to fly to Trinidad to visit his family.

"He cannot go one day without communicating with someone. He is a social butterfly," his sister, Karen Seetal said.

If convicted, Seetaram, Singh and Hunter each face a mandatory sentence of life in prison or the death penalty. 

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