A man was shot and killed Friday evening at the WMJR Service Station in Sion Farm on St. Croix, and the suspected shooter was taken into custody at the scene, according to the Virgin Islands Police Department.
Police said the St. Croix 911 Emergency Call Center received a ShotSpotter notification along with multiple reports of gunfire in the area at approximately 7:07 p.m. Friday. Officers, Emergency Medical Services personnel and other first responders were dispatched to the service station, where they found an unresponsive adult male. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The deceased was identified by next of kin as 50-year-old Pedro Melendez Sanes, according to the VIPD.
Police said the suspect was apprehended at the scene.
Melendez Sanes’ death marks the 12th homicide for St. Croix and the 25th for the territory, according to the Source Homicide List.*
The shooting remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-778-2211, Crime Stoppers VI at 800-222-TIPS (8477), or 911.
*The Source Homicide List is a chronological log of the homicides recorded in 2026 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, which the police and some other media do. This can lead to a discrepancy in the number of incidents reported.
