The anonymous tip service, Crime Stoppers USVI, seeks the public’s help to resolve two homicide cold cases from 2017.
St. Thomas: At 12:12 a.m. Jan. 1, 2017, just minutes into the new year, police officers responded to reports of shots fired in the area of Bovoni and of a possible gunshot victim. At the scene the police discovered a man had been shot in the head, and had been transported to the Schneider Regional Medical Center by a concerned citizen.
The man, identified as Tahien Thomas, died of his injuries at about 8:55 a.m. the same morning.
St. Croix: On July 28, 2017, Lyana Serieux and her two young sons, 10-year old Jordan and 5-year old Jeremiah, were last seen as she drove to their residence in Estate Cane. Several days later, a burnt Toyota Yaris belonging to Lyana, was found in Estate Lower Love. The next day, the bodies of Jeremiah and Jordan were found near Ha’Penny Beach and police were still searching for their mother.
On August 3, the body of Lyana was found in a cistern in an abandoned property behind the Mutual Homes Housing Community.
According to the Crime of the Week news release, there is a special reward of $25,000 being offered for information leading to the arrest of the individual or individuals “responsible for this heinous act.”
Anyone with information on the Crime Of The Week cases can call Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-8477 (1-800-222-TIPS) or submit a tip online at www.P3tips.com or www.crimestoppersvi.org. Callers will be issued a confidential PIN and are encouraged to check back frequently for reward eligibility. Information that leads to the resolution of a case can make the tipster eligible for an anonymous reward.