May 21, 2008 — The V.I. Government is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the capture of men responsible for what appears to have been a gangland murder early Wednesday morning at Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix, Police officials said Wednesday afternoon.
Shadrach Frett, 23, was shot dead early Wednesday morning in his hospital room where he was nursing wounds from a shootout last week in Catherine's Rest.
Gregory Calliste, Luis Hospital's chief executive officer, joined police officials and Attorney General Vincent Frazer for a teleconferenced press conference Wednesday on both St. Thomas and St. Croix, giving out what information they have and answering questions.
Five armed, masked men entered the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital from the rear sometime between 3:15 and 3:45 a.m., tied up a guard, threatened maintenance workers, and then made their way to Frett's third-floor hospital room where they shot him multiple times, according to police.
(See "Luis Hospital on Lockdown After Deadly Shooting.") The assailants came and left in a green Ford Explorer, which was recovered in the area of Estate Diamond and Ruby around 8 a.m., Assistant Police Commissioner Novelle Francis said.
Frett and another man were taken to the hospital May 12 after an early-morning shooting spree that netted several weapons for police and left the area strewn with shell casings. Frett was arrested and advised of his rights at Luis Hospital, Attorney General Vincent Frazer said. Frett would have been remanded to the Bureau of Corrections, but needed to remain hospitalized, he said.
The second man, who police did not identify, was treated and released at the hospital two days before the shooting there. Frett was a native of St. Thomas who had lived on St. Croix for the past two years. The other individual is from St. John.
"It is clear this crime extends beyond the shores of the Virgin Islands," Frazer said, though he would not elaborate further, saying the investigation is ongoing. Federal authorities are joining in the investigation on several levels, he said.
Peppered with questions about whether there was sufficient security at the hospital, Francis and Frazer said there were both police and corrections officers at the hospital.
"The first 911 call from the hospital was made by a corrections officer," Frazer said. A police officer was in the room of another, unrelated prisoner receiving care at the hospital when Frett was murdered, Frazer said. When asked what that officer was doing during the attack, he said that question was part of the ongoing investigation.
"As we now look back, the level of security was insufficient," Frazer said. In response to another question later in the press conference, he said, "It is our responsibility to ensure the safety of individuals in our custody."
Hospital security tapes show some or all of the masked killers, Francis said. Police are examining them in detail, he said, but no details or descriptions are ready to be given to the public. Frett was interviewed by police before his murder and police have spoken to the second individual, Francis said.
For the time being, patient visitation is being restricted and there is an increased police presence at the hospital, but the hospital remains open and fully operational, Calliste said.
"Juan F. Luis is doing everything it can to cooperate with the police," he said. "Meanwhile we continue full operations and our mission of providing health care for St. Croix. Obviously we have to readjust, but we continue our operations and nothing has been shut down."
In a statement issued Wednesday evening, Gov. John deJongh Jr. denounced the murder: "I was both saddened and outraged as to what took place at the Juan F. Luis Hospital this morning. This violent crime is a type of crime that cannot be tolerated in a law-abiding society."
DeJongh said he is confident that both the VIPD and the Attorney General's Office will take the "necessary steps" to make sure this type of crime does not reoccur.
"Just as the Attorney General did earlier today, I am encouraging anyone with information to contact authorities," the governor added. "Any and all information about this crime is important and should be turned over to the law enforcement community. I ask every member of the community to work together with us to ensure that perpetrators of crime are brought to justice."
If anyone has information regarding this case, call the police hotline at 778-4950 or 777-8711, or call 911.
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