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Murder Suspect Turns Himself In To Police

Oct. 21, 2007 — The suspect in a homicide that occurred Friday in the vicinity of Croixville Apartments on St. Croix turned himself in to police Sunday evening. The suspect, 24-year-old Marcus Benton, was charged with first degree murder and held without bail.
“This is the case of a good kid who took the law into his own hands and now faces life in prison,” said St. Croix Police Chief Thomas Hannah, when contacted Sunday evening.
Benton, accompanied by his parents, turned himself into the Wilbur Francis Command in Estate Hannah’s Rest at approximately 4:20 p.m. Sunday. He gave the police a statement and was arrested for murder in the first degree, Hannah said. Benton was held without bail and remanded to custody, he added.
Hannah said events leading up to the fatal shooting began earlier in the week when police responded to an assault where Benton was the victim. No arrests were made at the time, and Hannah said police counseled Benton not retaliate.
At approximately 9 p.m. Friday, police were called to respond to a possible discharging of shots. Upon arrival at Croixville Apartments, 20-year-old Anan Sealy who lived in the apartment complex, was found lying, unresponsive, in a pool of blood, with multiple gunshot wounds about the body, according to Hannah. Sealy was transported to the Juan F. Luis Hospital and pronounced dead at approximately 9:36 p.m.
“This was an ongoing situation,” said Hannah. “The suspect retaliated after being assaulted. He took the law into his own hands and now one young man lost his life and another is facing life in prison.”
Hannah said the suspect was “clearly remorseful and very distressed,” when he was giving his statement to detectives.
The investigation is still ongoing, Hannah said, adding that the weapon used in the murder has not been turned over to police.
The St. Croix Police Chief urged the public to take advantage of the gun amnesty program which continues through Nov. 2. During the amnesty, residents can turn in any unregistered firearm and ammunition without fines, prosecutions, repercussions or masses of paperwork.
“This is happening all over the world — kids are killing each other over nonsense,” said Hannah. “The bottom line is getting these guns off the streets.”
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