Officers of the Virgin Islands Police Department arrested a man described as "homeless and mentally ill" as a suspect in a Sunday homicide that took place at the Christiansted Public Cemetery.
According to the report from the department, police were alerted at 9 a.m. Sunday to an assault at the cemetery. Officers arriving at the scene searched the grounds and discovered the body of an unresponsive male lying on the ground. The victim was identified as Egbert Thomas Sr. As of Sunday night police were not able to supply the victim’s age or place of residence.
Following information provided by a concerned citizen, officers located the suspect in the assault, described as being a ‘homeless and mentally ill’ denizen of the Christiansted area. Police said as the officers approached the subject he began to hurl rocks and other items at the officers, who were eventually able to subdue, restrain and arrest the suspect. The man in custody was positively identified as the individual who had attacked Thomas.
The suspect, described by police as uncooperative, had not given his name to officers by late Sunday. He was taken into custody for further questioning and the incident is still under investigation.
The death is the fourth homicide on St. Croix since the start of the year, the 12th in the territory.
