Crime Stoppers needs your help to solve the following crimes. If you know something, say something, so law enforcement can get these individuals and their guns off our streets.
St. Croix: On May 17, 2008 at 1 a.m., the lifeless body of 54-year-old Erwin Michael "Juma" Ritter was found in the bus shanty near Central High School in Estate Clifton Hill. He had been shot several times. Police believe he was shot at a different location and then moved to the bus shanty.
St. John: On Wednesday March 30 at 5:49 p.m., gunshots were fired at Cases by the Sea Bar in Coral Bay. The owner of the establishment stated that while he served a customer a drink, four to six shots were fired. He looked out by the pool table patio area and saw a male with braids and a small handgun, leaving. Customers said the male had fired the shots after getting into an argument with another male.
St. Thomas: On Friday April 1 at 9:56 p.m., police were summoned to the area of Mandahl Beach due to shots being fired. Upon arrival they found an overturned vehicle on the roadway. The occupant, Sean O’Connell, had apparent gunshot wounds and later died of his injuries. Law enforcement is appealing to the community to provide the information needed to identify the killer(s).
Please help law enforcement identify and arrest these criminals by submitting information on these or any other crimes at www.CrimeStoppersUSVI.org or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Your tips are completely anonymous, and the stateside operators speak several languages. If your tip leads to an arrest or the recovery of an illegal weapon, you will receive a cash reward. The minimum reward for the arrest of an armed individual is $500. For assault, it is $900, and for murder, it is $1,500.
Law enforcement thanks the community for the 183 tips received so far this year and they send a special thanks to the 20 tipsters whose information in the first three months of the year led to 11 additional arrests and the recovery of six more illegal weapons.
You have made a difference.