A friend of Ed Netherland on Wednesday identified the Nashville-based businessman as the 60-year-old whose body was found Tuesday in the St. John’s East End rental house where he lived part time. The Police Department said Thursday that Netherland died of blunt force trauma.

“It looks like it was an interrupted burglary,” said Bob Carney, who owns the house and was on the scene Tuesday.

Carney described Netherland as a charismatic, fun guy who kept to himself.

“It looks like he was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Carney said.

According to Carney, Netherland always left his car at the house when he was gone. He suggested that whoever was involved in the homicide didn’t think that Netherland was inside.

V.I. Police Department Public Information Officer Melody Rames said Tuesday police were investigating it as a homicide.

Carney said Netherland was divorced and had “four or five” children he doted on.

“He sent me a picture of a fish his son caught,” Carney said.

Carney said Netherland owns some property on the East End.

One neighbor said Netherland had described himself as a boutique banker. He was the owner of LILAC Capital, a Nashville insurance firm. Carney said he developed a system to finance insurance premiums that netted him a small percentage. He said those small percentages added up.

Netherland was in the process of getting Economic Development Commission tax benefits so he could do business in the Virgin Islands, Carney said.

Police urge anyone who has any information about this crime to call Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-TIPS, call 911 or call the detectives at 774-2211 ext. 5614, 5618 or 5619.