After a three-day trial in U.S. District court on St. Croix, Sean Gerard, 31, was convicted this week for the murder of Alfred Hendricks, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
The jury convicted Gerard of first-degree murder and unauthorized possession of a firearm. Visiting District Court Judge Anne Thompson also found Gerard guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and receiving a firearm while under indictment.
On May 6, 2009, police officers responded to reports of gunfire in Estate Mon Bijou on St. Croix. When they arrived, they found Alfred Hendricks lying dead in the middle of a dirt road east of No. 119 Estate Mon Bijou.
Gerard shot and killed Hendricks after the two had a dispute about a bicycle, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Ronald Sharpe. At the time of the killing, Gerard was already on house arrest for an upcoming court date on first-degree assault charges, according to Sharpe.
Gerard faces a maximum of life in prison without parole for first-degree murder, a mandatory minimum of 15 years for unauthorized possession of a firearm, 10 years for being a felon with a gun and five years for getting the gun while already under indictment.
He remains in prison while awaiting sentencing. No sentencing date has been set.
The case was investigated by the V.I. Police Department and the V.I. National Guard and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allan John-Baptiste and Alphonso Andrews.
