A story in Wednesday's V.I. Independent stating that fugitive Reuben Vigilant had been arrested less than a mile from his home Tuesday afternoon was untrue, law enforcement officials say.
"As far as I am aware, he has not been arrested," acting Assistant Police Commissioner Bruce Hamlin said. "As far as we are concerned, he is still wanted."
Officials at the territorial Marshals Office also confirmed that Vigilant continued to elude authorities late Wednesday afternoon.
"We, along with the Police Department and other agencies are still in the process of locating him," said a territorial marshal who asked not to be identified.
Police have circulated flyers of Vigilant and placed photographs of him at every counter at the Cyril E. King Airport should he attempt to leave the territory.
Acting Police Chief Jose Garcia said he has no reason to believe Vigilant has fled the territory.
An all-points-bulletin has been issued for Vigilant but so far, Garcia said, he hasn't been located.
"I don't have any record from any of our precincts of him being arrested," he said.
Garcia described Vigilant, 27, as a light-skinned male who is 5'8" inches tall and 136 pounds. Vigilant, a Dominican native, has black hair, brown eyes and a slight build. Garcia said he has worked as a mechanic.
Last Friday, a jury found Vigilant guilty of a 10-count charge that included attempted murder. On Jan. 2, Vigilant attacked his girlfriend with a machete, striking her 13 times as she lay on the ground in a fetal position. April Xavier,19, survived the attack but lost three fingers and a thumb – which was later reattached – and suffered severe injuries to her neck and head. Vigilant was arrested the following day.
Vigilant was present during the first day of the two-day trial but failed to turn up when the jury reached a verdict last Friday.
He had initially been held on $175,000 bail but was later released after Territorial Court Judge Ive A. Swan lowered his bail to a $25,000 property bond.