EXECUTION IN ST. THOMAS: EX-BOYFRIEND CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AFTER BULLET TO EX-GIRLFRIEND’S HEAD
EXECUTION IN ST. THOMAS: EX-BOYFRIEND CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AFTER BULLET TO EX-GIRLFRIEND’S HEAD
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands – May 22, 2025
In a chilling case of domestic violence turned deadly, Dana Joseph Jr., 35, has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly shooting his ex-girlfriend Latifa Raimer, 33, in the back of the head, with the bullet exiting through her eye, before coldly dropping her off at the hospital and disappearing without a word.
The horrifying incident unfolded on Tuesday, when Raimer was left gravely injured at the hospital by a man who offered no explanation to staff. She was pronounced dead before police even arrived.
Police say a swift investigation by patrol officers, detectives, and forensic teams led to the identification of Joseph, who was described as Raimer’s former boyfriend. Authorities arrested him just hours later — at 2:10 a.m. Wednesday — and charged him with:
- First-Degree Murder (Domestic Violence)
- First-Degree Assault (DV)
- Third-Degree Assault (DV)
- Unauthorized Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence
Joseph is currently being held without bail as the community reels from the brutal and senseless loss of a young woman described by friends as “loving, vibrant, and full of life.”
The nature of the execution-style killing has shocked the island, reigniting calls for stronger protections for women and harsher penalties for domestic abusers.
“She was hunted down and discarded like nothing,” said one close friend. “We need justice. We need change.”
This tragic killing is the latest in a disturbing rise of intimate partner violence cases across the Caribbean region, drawing attention to the urgent need for intervention, education, and support systems to prevent more lives from being violently cut short.
Authorities are urging anyone suffering in silence to seek help and speak out before it’s too late.
Latifa Raimer’s life was taken—but her memory must spark the action that prevents the next.
#JusticeForLatifa
#EndDomesticViolence
#SayHerName
#StThomasTragedy
#NoMoreSilence
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