KINGSHILL — A St. Croix man who shot 32-year-old Angel Ayala to death at a Kingshill housing project in 2019 was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Jumanie Forde, 22, was handed that sentence for second-degree murder on September 21 by Superior Court Judge Alphonso Andrews Jr., Virgin Islands Attorney General Denise George said.
On November 2, Forde entered a guilty plea to second-degree murder (the lesser offense of Count-One- Murder in the First Degree), according to AG George.
The court accepted his plea having found that he was competent to enter it and that such plea was
voluntary, knowing, and intelligent, the attorney general said.
On August 30, 2019, Officers responded to a 911 Emergency call regarding a gunshot wounded
victim in the Candido Guadalupe Terrace in Estate Kingshill on St. Croix.
At the scene, officers found Ayala wounded and Forde held in custody by concerned citizens.
Officers detained Forde and transported him to the Wilbur Francis Command. Ayala was transported to the Juan F. Luis Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
A police investigation revealed that Forde walked up on the victim and several others and demanded he give him everything he had. He then fired one shot that wounded Ayala.
“Justice has finally been served. I commend our DOJ prosecution team and truly hope this
sentencing provides some degree of comfort and closure to Mr. Angel Ayala’s loved ones,” AG George added.