April 9, 2004 – The second killing in two successive days on St. Croix was recorded on Friday morning when the body of an 18-year-old man was found on the grounds of the Harbour View public housing community in Christiansted. Two handguns were found near the body.
The victim was identified as Gibson Polydore, a resident of Golden Rock.
"Police units and medical personnel found the victim with a gunshot wound to the face and with no vital signs," Sgt. Thomas Hannah, police spokesman, said on Friday afternoon. Polydore was pronounced dead at the scene, he said.
Harbour View residents called police around 6:15 a.m. Friday, Hannah said, and "reported that the victim was motionless and appeared to have blood on his face and on his clothing."
As of Friday afternoon, police had not established a motive for the shooting. "We do not know the circumstances leading to the victim's death and why two guns were near his body," Hannah said, adding that police have classified the case as homicide. He said that while there appeared to be little chance that the death was a suicide, "we are investigating all angles."
Hannah said there had been reports of gunfire in the Harbour View community on Thursday night. Criminal Investigation Bureau detectives were seeking to determine "whether the shooting and the reports of shots fired are related," he said.
The police spokesman it was premature for him to comment on speculation in the community that Polydore may have been shot Thursday night, although authorities did not find his body until sunrise Friday. He described the area where the body was found as dark and bushy, "in the general vicinity of the housing project office."
Hannah asked that anyone with information about the case contact police by calling 778-2211, ext. 4530 or 4582; 778-4950 or 911. "Information provided will be held in strictest confidence," he said.
Polydore's killing is the fifth on St. Croix this year and the 10th in the territory.
On Wednesday night, St. Croix fisherman Francisco Martinez, 44, was shot to death outside a friend's home in Estate La Reine, police reported on Thursday.
