April 11, 2001 – One of three defendants in a federal murder case appeared in Territorial Court Wednesday on an unrelated murder charge. Devin Hodge was flown in from a federal detention center in Puerto Rico to attend a pre-trial conference in connection with the 1998 killing of St. Thomas bar owner Ansley James.
James, who owned the Paradise Bar in Rothschild Francis "Market" Square, was fatally shot after he opened fire on Hodge and other individuals who were allegedly attempting to rob the establishment, located north of the Sandarella Thomas Marketplace bungalow.
Hodge, his brother, and a third defendant are facing a possible death sentence for the murder in May of 1998 of Larry Davis, owner of the Emerald Lady jewelry store on Back Street. That fatal shooting occurred during a robbery of the store; a security guard, Gwendolyn Rawlins, was injured by gunfire.
