Police on St. Thomas arrested 48-year-old Christopher Simmonds, also known as “Papito,” and charged him with first degree murder in connection with the April 2009 shooting death of 39-year-old Cedric Rouse.
Simmonds had been arrested by police in DeKalb County, Ga. A National Crime Information Center record check showed he was wanted for murder in the Virgin Islands. Police on St. Thomas had entered his name in the system in 2009 after identifying him as the murder suspect.
Simmonds was extradited from Georgia to St. Thomas on Friday, January 21. He arrived at the Cyril E. King Airport accompanied by federal marshalls about noon.
Cedric Rouse was shot and killed at about 1:15 p.m. April 5 near the basketball court in Hospital Ground. He was transported by private vehicle to the Roy Lester Schneider Regional Medical Center where he died of his injuries.
Simmonds fled the island days after the shooting and has evaded police for more than 21 months.
Simmonds, who lived in Hospital Ground, was arrested at about 1:45 p.m. Friday and held on a $200,000 bail. He was remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections pending his advise of rights hearing.
Commissioner Novelle E. Francis Jr. and Assistant Commissioner Raymond L. Hyndman congratulated the officers for bringing another case to a successful conclusion.
“When suspects flee the islands we must use the resources available to us. NCIC is used by police departments all over the country to bring felons to justice,” Francis said. “Criminals must know, you may run, but you cannot hide for long.”
