CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Police are investigating after a woman was fatally shot at an apartment complex in Bovoni on St. Thomas early Friday evening.
Mardette Ward, 33, was positively identified by a family member as the homicide victim, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The case began when a woman called the 911 Emergency Call Center to report that her friend had been shot and appeared to be unresponsive, according to the VIPD.
VIPD mug shot of Simon Rawlins Jr., 37, of St. Thomas.
The female caller stated that she and her friend were in Thomasville Apartments in Bovoni., when her friend was shot at least once, VIPD spokeswoman Sakeeda Freeman said.
The woman identified the shooter as 37-year-old SIMON RAWLINS JR., according to Freeman.
“The caller indicated that Mr. Rawlins Jr. fled the scene after shooting her friend,” she said.
Responding patrol officers contacted a female who appeared to have suffered at least one gunshot wound to her upper body, police said.
Emergency Medical Technicians also arrived at the scene and concluded at 6:15 p.m. that the female victim did not have any signs of life, according to police.
A manhunt was on underway in the Thomasville Apartments and Estate Bovoni areas of St. Thomas for Rawlins.
The wanted suspect Rawlins “was subsequently apprehended without incident and placed under arrest,” Freeman added.
Anyone with any additional information about this incident is urged to please contact the Virgin Islands
Police Department at 340-774-2211 or the Criminal Investigation Unit’s Major Crimes Division at 340-642-8449. You can also contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.