V.I.P.D. Commissioner: ‘We Are Treating All Homicides With The Same Level Of Priority’

ST. CROIX — Police Commissioner Delroy Richards told The Consortium this afternoon that the Police Department is treating all homicide cases with the same level of priority as it has with the double homicide case involving former Police Officer Francis Williams Jr., above, who the force arrested and charged with murder for the deaths of officers Lesha Lammy and Kai Javois.

“Let me just make one thing clear, homicides have no statute of limitation. The evidence sometimes that we have to rely on is evidence that has to be tested, in many instances we’re talking about DNA and other forensic evidence, and that takes time,” Mr. Richards said. “And I have made it clear from the very beginning that we are treating all other homicides with the same level of priority that we gave this one.”

He said the force has been able to execute multiple homicide-related arrests, and will have announcements soon.

“I think it’s very obvious that the V.I.P.D. has been working tirelessly on all our homicides. We have been able to secure several arrest warrants for homicides in the territory. We have one homicide warrant that we have executed in New York City and we’re bringing the suspect back home, and it involves a very, very prominent business owner on St. Thomas. I will be releasing that shortly once the individual is brought back to the territory,” Mr. Richards said. “We also did an arrest warrant for an individual in Atlanta, and again, when that individual comes back into the territory, we will be making that release.”

The commissioner said cases must be thoroughly investigated so that when arrests are made, they are executed with enough convincing evidence that could lead to convictions. In the case of the two slain officers, Mr. Richards said he was confident that V.I.P.D. has a solid case against Mr. Williams.

“I believe the Police Department did its investigation. We took the results of the investigation to the local Department of Justice where the investigation was evaluated, an affidavit was prepared and taken to the court, which found enough probable cause to issue the arrest warrant,” he said.