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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Homicides 2022

A chronological log of the homicides recorded in 2022 in the U.S. Virgin Islands, as reported by the VIPD. Cases are broken down by island. While this listing is based on VIPD reports, the Source does not include suicides or vehicular homicides in its listing that the police and some other media do. This can lead to a discrepancy in the number of incidents reported.

STT – 1
Territory – 1
Date of death – Jan. 2

On January 2, the VIPD Major Crimes Unit was notified that 56-year-old Gregorianna Julien – one of two persons shot in the Glitters Jewelry Store robbery on December 4, 2021 – succumbed to her injuries while receiving medical treatment.

The cause of death was unknown at that time and will be determined following an autopsy. The autopsy report will determine if charges will be upgraded against 18-year-old Miciah Cozier – arrested in connection with the robbery and shooting; and the three male minors taken into protective custody on December 16, 2021.

STX – 1,2
Territory – 2,3
Date of death – Jan. 17

Odonnie Heywood of Concordia Manor and Jahny Ledesma of Canebrake Apartments, both 17, died in a car in front of Juan F. Louis Hospital, less than 3,000 feet from where they were shot, according to the V.I. Police Department. A third man, whom police have not identified, received medical treatment for several gunshot wounds Jan. 17.

A fourth man was treated and released for a gunshot wound in the back. He told police he was sitting in his car near Thomas Bakery and Deli when he saw a car approach and heard gunshots at 9:17 p.m. VIPD collected evidence from the area.

STT – 2
Territory – 4
Date of death – Jan. 19

Henry Richards, 41 was found shot to death in Contact on Jan. 19. At 11:40 p.m., the 911 Emergency Call Center received a report of shots fired at Manuel Bar in Contant. Officers traveled to the establishment and discovered several persons who appeared to have suffered gunshot wounds.

The investigation revealed that a vehicle drove up to the building and someone in the vehicle opened fire into the establishment.

An off-duty police officer inside the establishment was forced to protect himself and the other patrons by drawing his weapon and engaging the suspects. Four individuals (three males, one female) inside the establishment were injured.

The victims were transported to the Roy Lester Schneider Regional Medical Center via ambulance for medical attention. Another gunshot victim was discovered unresponsive in Upper Contant. Emergency Medical Technicians on the scene concluded that the victim, identified by next of kin as 41-year-old Henry Richards, Jr., had no vital signs.

STX – 3
Territory – 5
Date of death – Jan. 27

46-year-old Stacie Schjang was standing in her bedroom the morning of Jan. 27 when a stray bullet came through the window and killed her instantly, said V.I. Police Lt. Naomi Joseph at a press briefing.

Police pleaded with home and business owners in the Castle Coakley area to share any surveillance camera footage they may have to identify the white sedan whose occupants were shooting at another vehicle near Schjang’s home when she was killed.

The shooting took place not far from where two 17-year-old boys were shot to death Jan. 17.

STX – 4
Territory – 6
Date of death – Feb. 4

Arnold Jarvis, 52, was found shot to death on Green Cay Beach, about 11:43 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 4. Police are investigating whether his death is related to that of Stacie Schjang, who was killed by a stray bullet that came through her bedroom window the morning of Jan. 27.

STX – 5
Territory – 7
Date of death – Feb. 21

Maria Marte, 58, of Little Princess, died at the scene of a crime from gunshot and crash-related injuries.

STX – 6
Territory – 8
Date of death – Feb. 25

Francisco Barett Figaro, 76, was found dead with multiple stab wounds in the shower of his Estate Two Brothers Home on the evening of Feb. 25 on St. Croix. The 911 Emergency Call Center dispatched Francis Command Units to conduct a welfare check at the home at 7:34 p.m. Feb. 25 and they discovered Figaro lying in the shower/tub.  

STT – 3
Territory – 9
Date of death – April 2
On Saturday April 2, 2022, A citizen called 911 and reported that a male had been shot vicinity of a Scrap Metal shop, located in Bovoni. Officers responded and discovered an unresponsive male. The male appeared to have suffered multiple gunshots about the body. Emergency Medical Technicians, on the scene, found no vital signs of the victim.
Next of kin identified the male as 57-year-old Juan Feliciano.

STX – 7
Territory – 10
Date of death – April 11

Police responded to 911 calls at 5:41 p.m. April 11 reporting shots fired and a man down in Estate Barren Spot. On arriving, officers reportedly found a critically injured black man.

Police say the man was at home in his yard washing his vehicle when a black man exited a vehicle, shot at him multiple times, and jumped back into the vehicle and sped away in a southern direction.

The victim was transported to the Juan Luis Hospital where he succumbed to injuries sustained by the gun wounds.

He was identified by his next of kin as 21 years old Raj Darnelle White of Barren Spot.

STT – 4
Territory – 11
Date of death – April 20

T’Quan Vanholten, 26, was shot dead near Louie’s Market in the Coki Point area of Smith Bay about 5:48 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20. Vanholten was found with at least one gunshot to the upper body, according to police. Emergency Medical Technicians determined he had no vital signs.

STT – 5
Territory – 12
Date of death – April 28

On April 28, 2022, at approximately 8.56 p.m., an unresponsive Black male was found in the Bovini area after shots had been reported fired to 911. The male was transported to SRMC where he succumbed to his injuries which included gunshot wounds about his body. He was later identified as Darryl T. Jenning, 43.

STX – 8
Territory – 13
Date of death – May 3

Lenroy Alexander Dion Carr, 56, was shot and killed on Tuesday, May 3 in Estate Glynn on St. Croix. A concerned citizen called 911 just before 7 p.m. on Tuesday to report that shots were being fired in the vicinity of Plot No. 91 in Estate Glynn. Carr was found with multiple gunshot wounds to the upper torso and head.

STX – 9
Territory – 14
Date of death – May 6

On May 7, 2022, the body of 32-year-old Shawn Joseph was found unresponsive by the business office of the Harbor View housing community. Josephs had just been released on parole from the John Bell Adult Correctional Facility on May 6, 2022.

STX – 10
Territory – 15
Date of death – May 16

On May 16, 2022, Andres Ponce Jr., 23-years-old, was pronounced dead by a JFL emergency room medical attendant from multiple gunshot wounds to his body.

STT – 6
Territory – 16
Date of death – July 3

Janyi Barry, 17, died on Sunday, July 3 at Schneider Regional Medical Center, where he was being treated for multiple gunshot wounds following a shooting on 7th Street in Sugar Estate, Charlotte Amalie, on Thursday, June 30, police said.

STX – 11
Territory – 17
Date of death – July 6

911 received notification of shots fired and a man down in Williams Delight. The critically injured victim was transported to the hospital in a private vehicle, once at the hospital the victim succumbed to his injuries.

The victim was shot while in Williams Delight in the Public Housing Community area that is referred to as “the turf.”

The victim was identified by his next of kin as 28-year-old Jah-Marley Christopher Alfred of Williams Delight.

STX – 12
Territory – 18
Date of death – July 15

A St. Croix man was shot to death early Friday outside an Estate Colquhoun nightclub with a history of violence, police said.

Officers arrived at the Front Line Bar & Grill, an outdoor nightclub, shortly before 1 a.m. to find 43-year-old Randy A. Lockhart on the ground in the parking lot. He had multiple visible gunshot wounds and no vital signs, police said.

STX – 13, 14, 15
Territory – 21
Date of death – July 26

Three men were found shot to death around 9:10 p.m. July 26 on Northside Road in the vicinity of a La Grande Princesse gas station on St. Croix. Their identities had not been released, pending notification of next of kin.

STX – 16
Territory – 22
Date of death – July 22 (classified as homicide July 31)

A shooting on June 14 in the Estate Bethlehem Village was classified by the V.I. Police Department as a homicide on Sunday, July 31, when police announced that 30-year-old Regaldo Cepeda passed away on July 22 from complications of his injuries.

STX – 17
Territory – 23
Date of death – Aug. 24

Jorge Luis Saldana, 24, was shot multiple times while at work mowing grass in Bethlehem Village on St. Croix.

STX – 18
Territory – 24
Date of death – Aug. 24

Jose Berrios, 47, was found by the VIPD with multiple gunshot wounds in the staircase of building 88 in Harvey Housing Community.

STX – 19, 20
Territory – 25, 26
Date of death – Aug. 29

Steven Hodge Jr., 18, and Aurelio Rivera, 34, were found with multiple gunshot wounds at the Paradise Mills housing community and Louise E. Brown housing community, respectively. Rivera died of his injuries at the scene, and Hodge at Juan Luis Hospital.

STT – 7
Territory – 27
Date of death – Sept. 16

Emergency responders found Emerson Nicolas shot in the head around 4 AM Friday. He died a short time later at Roy Lester Schneider Hospital, said Chief Detective Lt. Shelly Ann Cannonier.

STX – 21
Territory – 28
Date of death – Sept. 30

VIPD and emergency responders were dispatched to Paradise Mills Housing Community after concerned citizens reported shots fired to 911. Upon arrival, they found a Black male in dark clothing and a dark stocking cap on his head lying face down in the grass. The victim was identified by his next of kin as 31-year-old Deshawn Huggins.

STX – 22
Territory – 29
Date of death – April 10
(first thought a suicide, determined to be a murder and arrest made Oct. 6)

Steven Moore Jr., 27, was arrested Oct. 6 by members of the Criminal Investigation and Special Operation bureaus of the VIPD who also executed a search warrant at his home that was issued on Sept. 28 by Magistrate Judge Yolan Brow-Ross.

Moore is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Michael Petersen, whose father found him dead from a gunshot wound to his head the afternoon of April 10 at his Estate Whim home.

STT – 8
Territory – 30
Date of death – Nov. 3

VIPD and emergency responders were dispatched by 911 to lower Kronprindsens Gade after a concerned citizen reported a Black male lying on the ground. The deceased was later identified by next of kin as 35-year-old Jasmin Denver Thompson, police said.

STT – 9
Territory – 31
Date of death – Nov. 5

An unknown female was found bleeding from her head on St. Thomas, the V.I. Police Department reported Saturday.

STX – 23
Territory – 32
Date of death – Nov. 26

Shots fired in the Profit Hills Housing Community in Estate Profit, and a male victim down were reported to 911 by concerned citizens Saturday, the police report stated.

STT – 10
Territory – 33
Date of death – Dec. 4

Two males were shot Sunday on St.Thomas and one of the victims has died, the V.I. Police Department reported.

STX – 24
Territory – 34
Date of death – Dec. 10

Police arrived after someone called 911. Brathwaite, 44, had allegedly threatened the man, a shop worker police did not name, with a rock. The man drew a licensed firearm and put two bullets in Brathwaite, who dropped the stone, staggered about 20 feet, and dropped dead, police said.

STX – 25
Territory – 35
Date of death – Dec. 28

According to a preliminary report, 911 received calls from several individuals around 11:36 p.m. Wednesday that there was a shooting victim lying in the middle of King Street in the vicinity of KFC, the department stated. Emergency Medical Services personnel arrived at the scene but did not find any signs of life, it said. The victim was identified as Bradley Maxwell, 44, by his next of kin.

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