Federal Judge Sentences St. Croix Man To Life Without Parole On Murder And Firearm Offenses

ST. CROIX — Chief District Court Judge Wilma A. Lewis on February 9, 2016, sentenced Elvin Wrensford (above), 30, to 35 years in federal prison for federal firearm offenses, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced via press release on Wednesday. Additionally, the court imposed a sentence of life in prison without parole for first degree murder and 20 years in prison on a local firearms offense to be served after the federal sentences.

Chief Judge Lewis also sentenced Wrensford to multiple terms of supervised release, pay a fine of $25,000.00, pay $6,360.00 in restitution, and pay a special assessment of $225.

After a two-week trial, on March 24, 2015, a federal jury on St. Croix convicted Wrensford and co-defendant, Craig Muller. Evidence presented at trial established that during the afternoon on May 10, 2012, the defendants argued with a male individual at Ben’s Car Wash in Estate Princesse. The defendants left and later returned to the car wash in a red truck. A second male, Gilbert Hendricks, Jr., walked out of the car wash, observed the defendants in the truck and began running. The defendants chased Hendricks while in the truck and Wrensford began firing at him. Hendricks fell to the ground and Wrensford continued to shoot at him. Hendricks died as a result of the gunshot wounds. The government established the identity of the shooter through eyewitness testimony and DNA evidence. Muller’s sentencing is set for February 11, 2016.

This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alphonso Andrews, Jr., and Rhonda Williams-Henry.