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USVI: Man sentenced to 30 Years for shooting that killed daughter & injured mother

September 7th, 2024 | Tags: St. Croix USVI shooting death injury sentence
Mugshot of Jiovani Smith. Photo: Virgin Islands Police Department
VI CONSORTIUM

ST. CROIX, USVI- Twenty-four-year-old Jiovani Smith was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the second-degree homicide of Selena Chitolie, a crime that occurred on May 15, 2020.

According to the Virgin Islands (VI) Department of Justice, V.I. Superior Court Judge Alfonso Andrews Jr. handed down the sentence following Smith's guilty plea earlier this year.

Shot while apartment searching

The 19-year-old woman was shot in the vehicle with her mother while looking for apartments. Though she survived the shooting, she died two weeks later.

Chitolie and her family were driving through the Mount Pleasant area of Frederiksted, St. Croix and according to court documents, the family was searching for a rental home when they were pursued and fired upon by Smith and two other men. The attack left Chitolie with a fatal gunshot wound to the back of her neck, while her mother, Nissa Camacho was also shot and continues to carry a bullet fragment in her neck.

According to a police affidavit, Ms. Camacho recalled hearing multiple gunshots and seeing dust rise around their vehicle near the abandoned Evelyn M. Williams Elementary School before realizing her daughter had been hit. Ms. Camacho also identified a slender man, armed with a long gun, who emerged from the passenger side of a silver Ford Focus and fired at their vehicle.

Smith, along with one of the other accused men, Calijah Brewley, pleaded guilty to the crime earlier this year. Brewley is awaiting sentencing, while the third man involved, Jerome Wallace, is still awaiting trial.

Smith was on release for firearms charge

During the sentencing hearing, the court heard statements from Smith, his attorney Semaj Johnson, and members of Chitolie’s family. Amie Simpson, Criminal Chief for the Virgin Islands Department of Justice (DOJ), emphasized that Smith was out on release for firearms charge at the time of the murder. Simpson underscored the senseless nature of the crime and the need for the judicial system to send a strong message against gun violence in the territory.

In his ruling, Judge Andrews echoed those sentiments, noting the ongoing gun violence crisis in the VI and the need for accountability. He emphasized that the community cannot tolerate such violent acts and that the justice system must take a firm stance against such crimes.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorneys General Robert Pickett and Travis Crowell, with Criminal Chief Amie Simpson leading the team from the DOJ. Gordon C. Rhea, Attorney General nominee for the U.S. Virgin Islands, praised the work of Simpson, Pickett, Crowell, and Detective Aisha Jules of the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) for their efforts in securing justice for the victim and her family.

14 Responses to “USVI: Man sentenced to 30 Years for shooting that killed daughter & injured mother ”

  • The watchdog (07/09/2024, 11:53) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
    Look at his EVIL face
    • The Usurper (09/09/2024, 09:24) Like (1) Dislike (5) Reply
      Go look at your MOTHER 1st. They are gangsters the car the ladies drove resembled the OPPS vehicle. Literally same color and model. As soon as they realised it was civilians he & the other shooter plead GUILTY. That's a responsible gangster.
  • usvi (07/09/2024, 12:11) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    He coming out at age 54 da small ting
  • FIRE (07/09/2024, 12:47) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    Firing squad please.
  • 30 years is too little (07/09/2024, 14:09) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
    Anyone who is so callous and evil to take someone life in such a heinous manner needs life if not death. Just looking at his mug shot speaks volumes. He is as evil as they come. Hope he has the roughest of time in prison over the next 30 years.

    There article did not state what the motive was here, but it would have been helpful to try to understand what what motivated this evil man to commit such a crime.
  • No Enough (07/09/2024, 16:05) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    He should have gotten more years.
  • THEY NEED TO (07/09/2024, 18:34) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    PUT ONE IN AN ELECTRIC CHAIR AND HANDCUFF THE OTHER TWO TO HIM AND LET THE PARRNTS OF THE VICTIM PULL THE SWITCH , THAT OUGHT TO SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO THESE WANNABE GANSTERS / PUTTING THEM IN JAIL IS A WASTE OF TIME AND TAXPAYERS MONEY
    • Waste Men (07/09/2024, 21:30) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      The mother needs to pull the switch because she has bullet fragment in her neck still.
  • tt (07/09/2024, 20:00) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    30yrs for taking some one life for real
  • santa claus (07/09/2024, 20:12) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    Interesting!
    We are shown photos USVI criminals and details of crime.
    Not so in these BVI...No photos of convicted or suspected,,,A brief fuzzyzzy story that is it ,No follow up.
    Yep. BVI keeps the identity of their criminals private. Aiding and abetting is how we do it.
  • bvi (07/09/2024, 20:56) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply

    When’s the last time BVI gave someone 30 years? Judges and prosecutors here are soft as a strippers @%^.

    • Gasson (09/09/2024, 06:53) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
      @BVI. Andreas Norford got 30 yrs last year. Your memory fuzzy or u are just being maliciously criticai and hypocritical.
  • Bdbf (07/09/2024, 23:26) Like (3) Dislike (9) Reply
    Sad. I really feel sorry for him. The face shows all hope is gone. But that doesn't excuse what he's done.
  • hmm (08/09/2024, 07:29) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Same thing in the BVI, people out on bail still committing crime. Once it have enough evidence to charge you with possession of an illegal firearm then don’t even grant bail in my opinion. Until law enforcement and the justice system start taking this seriously it going to only get worse. To me it’s a disservice to the public for authorities to continue to allow people caught with guns and ammunition back on the street in no time bout they on bail. 30 years is still not justice because that girl dead forever now killed by someone who should have been locked up already.


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