Virgin Islands Police mum as St.Kitts Man Shot Dead on St.Thomas
BY ALDETH LEWIN (DAILY NEWS STAFF)
Murder Victim Leroy Rawlins from St.Kitts but who resided in St.Thomas
ST. THOMAS – As the territory maintains a horrifying record pace for murders following the shooting death of a man Wednesday on St. Thomas, the VIRGIN Islands Police Department has little to say.
The body of the territory’s eighth murder victim was found in a car in Hidden Valley on St. Thomas early Wednesday morning.
Police identified the victim as 20 year-old Leroy Rawlins of St.Kitts, who police said was a resident of Tutu Hi-Rise housing community and had sustained a gunshot wound.
Police got a report at 6:42 a.m. Wednesday that the body of a man was lying inside a vehicle near Building 10 of Tutu Hi-Rise.
Rawlins was no stranger to law enforcement as he was arrested in January 2014 and charged with first-degree assault and first-degree robbery in connection with a robbery that took place in April 2013.
The victim told police that Rawlins tried to rob him at gunpoint, and when he tried to run away, Rawlins shot him in the head.
At the current pace, the Virgin Islands would register 72 murders for the year.
Last year, the territory had 45 homicides, including four vehicular homicides, with 22 on St. Croix, 21 on St. Thomas and two on St. John.
In 2014, the territory did not have its eighth murder until March 12.
Rawlins’ killing is the sixth murder on St. Thomas in 2015.
On Jan. 16, Jose Miguel Rosa, 29, was shot to death in Estate Whim on St. Croix.
Two days later, 38-year-old Jason Young was shot on Ulke Gade on St. Thomas.
On Jan. 23, the body of 54-year-old Merle Natta was discovered in the kitchen of a home in Mandahl on St. Thomas, where there had been a fire. Police believe the fire was set to cover up her murder, and last week, her husband, John-James Natta, was arrested in connection with that case.
Other homicides on St. Thomas include 21-year-old Ezekiah Joseph, who was shot near Hidden Valley Apartments on Jan. 26; 39-year-old Anthony Charles, who was shot to death at Coki Point Beach on Jan. 31; and Lakeel Wade, who was shot to death on a Sunday afternoon near Lionel Roberts Stadium. Wade was shot Feb. 1 and died on Feb. 2.
On Monday, 37-year-old Mustafa Williams was killed not far from Eulalie Rivera Elementary School in Grove Place, St. Croix.
It’s a sad day for the U.S. Virgin Islands.