May 14, 2001 — A 29-year-old man was arrested Saturday morning in connection with the murder of another St. Croix man last Wednesday.
Anthony Marrero, 29, was arrested in a raid on his Mon Bijou residence on charges of contempt of court, according to St. Croix Deputy Police Chief Novelle Francis. Francis said the raid was conducted as part of the ongoing investigation into the murder of Dion Benjamin, 33.
Benjamin was found dead in his Mazda mini-van in the Watergut area. He had been shot from close range at least three times.
Police said he was in the area to tend to a horse he kept there.
Marrero has a long history of run-ins with the law. According to The St. Croix Avis, he was arrested by federal agents in 1999 on drug charges. He had been convicted previously of making a false statement to a grand jury, and following the drug bust he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Marrero was also in the news when he was wounded in a drive-by shooting incident more than a year ago in Christiansted.
Benjamin’s death was the third homicide on St. Croix this year and the ninth in the territory.
