The V.I. Police Department on Thursday arrested Ta’Jhanique Cumberbatch, a 22-year-old resident of Estate Betsy’s Jewel, and charged her with first-degree murder in the March 2 shooting that claimed the life of a man in Estate Carlton.
The death of 38-year-old Ian Benjamin Sr. was the seventh in a five-day string of apparently unrelated homicides on St. Croix.
Cumberbatch was arrested at around 8:46 a.m. Thursday, according to police. Along with the murder charge, police charged her with first-degree assault, third-degree assault, carrying a firearm openly or concealed during the commission of a crime, possession of ammunition, and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
Bail for Cumberbatch was set at $1 million, which she was not able to post. She was subsequently turned over to the custody to the Bureau of Corrections, pending her advice of rights hearing.
Police urged anyone with information to call 911, the Crime TipLine at 340-778-4950, or the anonymous tip service, at Crime Stoppers USVI at (800) 222-8477 (1-800-222-TIPS).
