Liston Powell Jr., a 45-year-old man also known as “Jah Ras,” was found shot to death Monday in an area of Savan where he was known to farm, the V.I. Police Department reported Tuesday.
Family members of the victim told police they attempted to call Powell several times during the day but said he did not answer the phone. One family member went to Powell’s farm and discovered the crime, according to the police report.
It was the 20th homicide on St. Thomas since the first of the year, the 41st in the territory.
According to the report, a few minutes before 6 p.m. Monday VIPD officers were notified by 911 dispatchers of a gunshot victim on the hillside above Savan. Responding officers found Powell’s body. Preliminary investigation revealed Powell was shot multiple times and died at the scene.
Police said residents in the area reported hearing several gunshots in the early afternoon hours.
This investigation has been assigned to the detectives of the Major Crimes Unit. Anyone who knows anything about the crime can call them at 715-5545 or 715-5546, or the anonymous tip service, Crime Stoppers USVI, at 1-800-222-TIPS.
