Devin Hodge, 18, has been charged with first degree murder in the slaying of jewelry store owner Larry Davis. Security guard Gwendolyn Rawlins was also shot during the incident, which occurred on May 8, 1998.
It was recently ordered that Hodge stand trial as an adult, according to the V.I. Independent.
Hodge is charged along with Jason Hull, 23, and Irvine Hodge Jr., 21. All three are accused of murder in the first degree. They are charged additionally with possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and with interfering with interstate commerce. The charges stem from a robbery at the Emerald Lady jewelry store on Backstreet. During the robbery customers and some employees were ordered to lie on the floor while one of the employees was forced to open the jewelry display cases. One of the defendants allegedly demanded the safe be opened. Davis complied.
While the robbery was in progress, the security guard approached the store and shots were fired at her.
As the defendants ran from the store one of them shot Davis at point-blank range, killing him.
The defendants remain in custody.
Irvine Hodge Jr. has been convicted of first-degree robbery, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and interference with interstate commerce in connection with an earlier robbery at the Emerald Lady, which occurred in May 1995. He was sentenced to nine years in prison on Feb. 18.
