Francis Williams, Who V.I.P.D. Has Charged With Stalking Slain Female Officer, Out On $50,000 Bond

ST. CROIX — Following the discovery of the bodies of two police officers at a beach in Hams Bluff, Frederiskted, an all-points bulletin was initiated for Officer Francis Williams, above, an acquaintance of the female slain officer, Lesha Lammy.

At the crime scene on Thursday afternoon, Police Commissioner Delroy Richards refused to deny or confirm that the A.P.B. had went out; although it was widely known. But on Thursday night, police arrested Mr. Williams and charged him with stalking and advised the stalking suspect of his rights. Today, the judge agreed that there was probable cause to the V.I.P.D.’s stalking charge, and Mr. Francis was released to his family on $50,000 bail.

Mr. Richards told The Consortium this evening that an arraignment hearing would follow.

According to V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Glen Dratte, Ms. Lammy did not file a police report complaining that she was being stalked by Mr. Williams; which would have been an obvious reason for the charge. But Commissioner Richards said police were able to gather veritable knowledge following the incident, as police officers — colleagues of Ms. Lammy — started to come forward with resourceful information once they found out that their colleague had been shot to death.

“A lot of information that is coming to us now within the department, was never available to us until after the incident. And a lot of her coworkers began to bring certain things to our attention that they knew previously. Her peers; not management,” Mr. Richards said. “So it could have been as a result of the information that the detective was able to extract from her peers that resulted in the arrest of Williams for stalking.”

He added: “The arrest doesn’t necessarily mean that we had this information before, but it’s something that they uncovered during the investigatory process.” The commissioner said detectives are speaking to multiple persons and following various leads.

Ms. Lammy, 30, joined the police force on December 13, 2010 as a police recruit, and was promoted to the V.I.P.D. on June 26, 2013. Ms. Lammy, who was assigned to the Wilber Francis B Command on October 4, 2015, leaves behind three young children, according information provided by Government House.

Officer Kai Javoi, 28, second victim in the double homicide, joined the force as a police recruit on May 11, 2015. He was promoted to the V.I.P.D. on December 14, 2015, and was stationed at the Ancilmo Marshall C Command from June 26, 2016.

Governor Kenneth Mapp during a press conference Thursday evening, shared with the media details regarding the incident, stating that other pertinent information was being held in confidence because an investigation is ongoing.

“We found no evidence that the officers were victims of any traditional terrorist activities as we know them in the nation,” Mr. Mapp said. “The officers were not targeted specifically because they were police officers… What we also believe the evidence has indicated thus far, is that the officers do not appear to be victims of a random act of violence, given the number of shootings and gang violence that are occurring in the territory.”

On Thursday afternoon, Mr. Richards told this publication that the incident most likely occurred on Wednesday night, as one of the officers was supposed to report to duty Wednesday at midnight but failed to show.

“We know for a fact that one officer was supposed to report to duty last night and he didn’t show,” Mr. Richards said. “What we’re looking at is that it happened within a 24-hour time period, based on folks who had seen him [the male victim] prior.”

The bodies were discovered Thursday afternoon on the sand by two individuals who came to the area to catch whelks, Mr. Richards said. Police vehicles lined the side of the small path, and officers could be seen talking among themselves, visibly disturbed by the occurrence.

“It’s a tragic day,” Mr. Richards said, describing the male officer as “very good,” and the female as having served for multiple years with the V.I.P.D.

“We’re talking to several people to get as much information as we can — to determine whereabouts, where they were last seen and whom they were last seen with. Every time a name pops up, we’re going after that.”

Mr. Richards said the officers were found clothed.