RVIPF Superintendent of Crime (SoC) Mr Alexis Charles said that they are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to bring justice for 2013 lone homicide. Photo: VINO

Rodney Simmonds Jr and Yan Edwards were convicted for conspiring to murder Francis, Yan Edwards and Allen Baptiste were given life sentences without parole for the murder of Keri Harrigan while Alcedo Tyson was sentenced to a life sentence without possibility of parole for the murder of Todd-Rhymer all in 2013. Photo: VINO/file

Among the criminal cases related to homicides that were cleared up in the local courts of law during 2013 and where the RVIPF were successful in gaining convictions were the murder of Kerri Harrigan which took place in March 2011, was that of a conspiracy to murder the now deceased Cornel Melbourne Francis and the 2012 murder of Kwanna Todd-Rhymer. Photo: VINO/File

At the time of addressing the issues of homicides in the Virgin Islands (VI) Mr Charles along with the top players in the RVIPF were bringing residents up to speed of what is happening in the Force at a press conference held at the RVIPF Head Quarters, Water Front Drive, Tortola.

According Mr Charles the lone case of homicide for the past year has been that of Mr Cornel Melbourne Francis aka Trouble who was brutally gunned down at the Stickett in Long Look, East End on May 9, 2013. “…and that matter remains under active investigations and the family is being kept abreast of our progress of that particular investigation,” said Charles.

Virgin Islands News Online’s effort to reach the family of Francis on this was futile.

For the past five years, coving the period 2009 to 2013 the RVIP had recorded a total number of 18 homicides in the VI of which the SoC said 15 have been cleared up. This amount accounts for 83.3% of such crimes. “If we were to go back to the beginning of the Millennium our major homicide list that is from 2000 to 2013 has a total of 50 homicides with 32 being cleared up. That again translates into a clear up rate of 64%.”

Mr. Charles established that it is not every ‘clear up case’ resulted in a court case. He said that while they would have seen an increase in their ‘clear up’ rate there are still a number of unsolved cases on the books. “All unsolved cases remain open,” stated Charles emphatically. He added that while it is most difficult to focus on the historic cases because of current events, the RVIPF remains committed to setting aside resources to focus on all open cases.

During the course of this calendar year, the unsolved cases are being viewed on their merits, said Charles. “We remain committed to bring offenders to justice whenever the evidence is present to satisfy the Director of Public Prosecutions and this has been demonstrated in the last eighteen months,” according to Mr Charles.

Among the criminal cases related to homicides that were cleared up in the local courts of law during 2013 and where the RVIPF were successful in gaining convictions were the murder of Keri Harrigan which took place in March 2011; a conspiracy to murder the now deceased Cornel Melbourne Francis and the 2012 murder of Kwanna Todd-Rhymer.

Rodney Simmonds Jr and Yan Edwards were convicted for the conspiring to murder Francis, Yan Edwards and Allen Baptiste were given life sentences without parole for the murder of Keri Harrigan while Alcedo Tyson was sentenced to a life sentence without possibility of parole for the murder of Todd-Rhymer.