Deron Francis, a 41-year-old resident of the JFK Housing Community, was shot to death sometime late Sunday or early Monday, the V.I. Police Department reported.
St. Croix Police Chief Christopher Howell said police were alerted to the shooting minutes after midnight Sunday by a concerned citizen who walked into the Ancilmo Marshal Command in Christiansted and reported a man lying motionless in a private roadway.
Police found Francis’ body lying on the road of the Randolph Lockhart Elementary school in Estate Orange Grove. The body had multiple gunshot wounds. Francis was dressed in blue short pants, a white shirt and sandals, Police believe the body may have been in that location for several hours, according to Howell, but a medical examiner’s report would be needed to confirm that.
It was the 22nd homicide in the territory this year, the 16th on St. Croix.
Emergency medical technicians removed the body from the scene. Police recovered shell casings from the area during their investigation.
Howell reminded the public there is a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of any murder suspect. Anyone with information on this or any other murder can call detectives at 712-6075, 712-6037 or 712-6077, or call the anonymous tip service, Crime Stoppers USVI, at 1-800-222-TIPS.
