FREDERIKSTED — Hours after circulating a wanted poster for a man wanted in connection with a homicide in Paradise Mills, police said tips from residents led to an arrest.
Jahreem Lake, 28, was arrested at 3:15 p.m. Friday and charged with killing 31-year-old Deshawn Huggins, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The case began around 9:59 p.m. on September 30, when the 911 Emergency Call Center received reports of shots being fired in the Paradise Mills housing community, according to the VIPD.
“Moments later they received calls from citizens who reported that there was a gunshot victim” in the housing community and police were dispatched. Responding officers were directed by several citizens “to a gunshot victim lying in the grass” near Building 1, VIPD spokesman Glen Dratte said. “They observed a black male in dark clothing and a dark stocking cap on his head lying face down in the grass.”
The victim was transported to the Juan F. Luis Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was “later identified by his next of kin as Deshawn Huggins, 31 years old.”
According to Dratte, information received from the community led the detectives to Lake, who was charged with first-degree murder, a charge that comes with automatic sentence of life in prison if convicted.
Bail for Lake was set at $1 million. Unable to post bail, he was remanded to custody of the Bureau of Corrections at the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility pending an advice-of-rights hearing on Monday.
Lt. Naomi Joseph, chief detective, expressed her gratitude to the community for helping police.
“As we continue to work together, we will take our community back from that small percentage of individuals who are causing the violence in our territory,” Lt. Joseph said.
She urged anyone with “information that can make that difference” to call 911, the Investigation Bureau at 340-712-6042 or the CIB Tip-Line at 340-778-4850 and 340-712-6092. Callers may also make an anonymous report to Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-8477.
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