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HomeNewsLocal newsSuspects Held; Facing Murder Charges in Separate Incidents on St. Thomas

Suspects Held; Facing Murder Charges in Separate Incidents on St. Thomas

VIPD patrol car. (Linda Morland photo)
Two men are accused of murder in two separate incidents on St. Thomas; a third man is accused of assault in connection with a shooting in Savan. (Source file photo by Linda Morland)

A St. Thomas man is being held on $750,000 bail following his arrest on murder charges. The victim, according to police, was a 59-year-old man who intervened in a fight at Coki Point Beach.

Superior Court Magistrate Simone Van Holten Turnbull set bail for defendant Shamal Gabriel of Anna’s Retreat at a hearing held Wednesday. Delroy Venzen, 59, was pronounced dead at the scene on Jan. 19.

Emergency responders said Venzen died from apparent gunshot wounds. A report filed with the court included statements from witnesses on the scene, who said the accused and a woman were guests at a gathering when they began arguing over comments posted to social media.

Witnesses said the victim stepped in and told Gabriel to leave the woman alone, which sparked a second, shorter argument. The defendant left the scene but came back moments later. The situation escalated from there as others intervened.

Then, witnesses said, there was gunfire.

Gabriel turned himself into the Richard Callwood Police Command later that day and was arrested. The Coki Point incident was the second homicide recorded for St. Thomas since the start of 2023.

Four days earlier, on Jan. 15, police responded to the scene of an apparent shooting in Savan. A report filed on the incident identified the victim as Marcos Benjamin Guerrero, who was found seated in a vehicle.

Guerrero was transported to the Roy L. Schneider Hospital and underwent medical treatment but later died from his wounds, court documents said. With help from witness statements and video surveillance recordings, detectives identified and arrested Aneudy Guerero two days later.

He was charged with first-degree assault with intent to commit murder and third-degree assault causing serious bodily injury. A second suspect, Luis Mota Rivas, was identified by witnesses who were shown surveillance images at the scene of the shooting in Savan. Rivas was arrested Jan. 16, charged with first-degree murder, first- and third-degree assault, and related weapons offenses.

Superior Court Magistrate Paula Norkadis set bail for Rivas at $500,000, payable in cash or property. Bail for Aneudy Guerero was set at $75,000.

Both defendants in the Savan shooting made their initial court appearance on Jan. 19.

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