May 25, 2003 – A St. Thomas man was shot to death early Saturday morning at a motel in downtown Charlotte Amalie. Police said the shooting came minutes after a robbery in the room next door and in a release characterized it as "an apparent robbery attempt."
Sgt. Thomas Hannah, Police spokesman, said Saturday that Gregory Albert Lewis, 45, was "shot once in the abdomen and died of his injuries." Hannah said the fatal shooting took place at Le Petit Motel minutes after police received a report at 1:50 a.m. of an armed robbery there.
"At room No. 3, the suspects robbed Shelly Finnerman of cash, jewelry and other personal effects including a $2,000 wedding ring," Hannah said. Her assailants were two masked individuals, according to the police release, issued Sunday.
During the robbery, the robbers asked Finnerman about where they could get drugs and money. "And they also asked about Gregory Lewis, who would become the victim of a shooting minutes later," Hannah said.
Lewis was in Room 4. The motel lies to the east of Emile Griffith Ballpark and just in from the waterfront.
Information from witnesses to the shooting led police to intercept what Hannah described as the assailants' getaway car. He said the vehicle was found in Lindbergh Bay and that the owner, Sheldon Michael Anselm, 23, was taken into custody for questioning. Police officers found an unlicensed .38 caliber revolver in the vehicle, Hannah said.
The Sunday release gave no indication as to whether Anselm would be charged in the murder or the robbery. Hannah said on Saturday that the Police Major Crime Unit was working "various angles on the case." He urged anyone with information about the robbery or the shooting to contact police at 774-4050 or emergency 911.
Lewis's death was the 12th homicide on St. Thomas this year and the 15th in the territory. In 2002, when a record number of killings were recorded, there had been 13 homicides on St. Thomas and 18 in the territory as of this date.

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