A St. Croix man became the island’s first murder victim of the new year Saturday morning after he was shot during an altercation in Watergut.
Llewelyn Ford, 48, was shot twice at approximately 10:30 a.m. during an argument with another man, according to St. Croix police officials. Ford and several other men were playing dominoes when a dispute broke out.
Ford reportedly went to his vehicle and returned with a machete and a club. He then confronted Warren Walcott, allegedly striking him twice with the club. Police say Walcott then fired multiple shots from a licensed .38-caliber revolver, hitting Ford twice.
Ford was taken to Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 11:30 a.m.
Police questioned Walcott and then released him pending further investigation into the incident.
Ford’s death is the second murder in the territory for 2001. St. Thomas recorded the first on Wednesday, when a construction worker was stabbed to death in Estate Bellevue following an argument with a co-worker.
