Arrest Made In Cruz Bay Stabbing, Man Charged In St. Croix Carjacking

Kenson Jolly, 25, of Estate Pastory Gardens, St. John, was arrested on first degree assault, third degree assault, mayhem, and possession of a dangerous weapon during the commission of a crime in connection with the machete stabbing of Rupert Walters on the night of Feb. 18, VIPD Public Information Officer Kevin Jackson has announced.

According to Jackson, officers were dispatched to Cruz Bay at 9:21 the night of the incident with a report of a stabbing incident. The suspect was described as having been a black male wearing black clothing and carrying a machete. Officers discovered the stabbing victim bleeding from multiple stab wounds and just minutes after searching the surrounding area, encountered a bloodied Jolly, who matched the description of the suspect.

Jolly was detained and placed under arrest after being positively identified by a witness as the individual that assaulted Walters.

Bail for Jolly was set at $110,000 and he was remanded to the Bureau of Corrections.

On St. Croix, James Cruz, 20, of Harbor View Apartments, was charged with first degree robbery in connection with the armed carjacking on Feb. 21, with bail set at $75,000.

Cruz, along with a 16-year-old minor, were arrested after brandishing what appeared to be a machine gun while carjacking a couple sitting in a vehicle in the vicinity of the St. Croix Educational Complex, VIPD Public Information Officer Kevin Jackson made known.

Police received a call about the incident around 5:02 p.m. on Feb. 21.

The couple was said to be sitting in the car eating when the incident occurred.

The suspects demanded the car keys and the couple’s cellphones before driving off in the stolen vehicle. Police issued an All Points Bulletin on the vehicle and officers came in contact with it on the Melvin H. Evans Highway in the area of Williams Delight.

Officers followed the suspects into the Cane Carlton area where the suspects disabled the vehicle in a ditch. The suspects then fled on foot toward the beach, where police apprehended them.

The victims were not injured and the vehicle was recovered.

Cruz could not post bail, so he was remanded to the Bureau of Corrections. The 16-year-old minor that accompanied Cruz was turned over to Juvenile Services and remanded to the Youth Rehabilitation Center on St. Croix.