CHRISTIANSTED — The Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) has concluded that the death of a 55-year-old man discovered unresponsive earlier this month at a junkyard in Estate Cottage on St. Croix was accidental, resulting from severe head trauma caused by a fall.
An autopsy determined the cause of death as accidental death by falling, according to an update released by the VIPD on Tuesday evening at 8:08 p.m. AST.
The deceased has been identified as Guadaloupe Mosquea-Paredes.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, when a concerned citizen contacted the 911 Emergency Call Center at approximately 8:19 a.m. to report a man down at the junkyard location in Estate Cottage,
Virgin Islands.Fire and Emergency Medical Services (VIFEMS) responded promptly to the scene, where the individual was pronounced dead upon arrival. Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) detectives were on site and noted visible head trauma on the body.Initial investigative efforts had not ruled out the possibility of foul play, but the autopsy findings have since classified the death as accidental.
Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fall.At the time of the initial report, authorities were awaiting next-of-kin confirmation for positive identification.
The VIPD is urging anyone with additional information about the incident to contact 911, the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-778-2211, or Crime Stoppers VI at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
This case remains under active review by the VIPD’s Criminal Investigation Bureau.
No further details on contributing factors to the fall have been released at this time.
Estate Cottage accidental death news coverage locally
This was covered by local outlets, including the Virgin Islands Free Press, the St. Croix Source, the VI Consortium, and the official VIPD news release (updated January 21, 2026). No additional details on the exact circumstances of the fall (e.g., from what height or object) have been publicly released, and the investigation appears to have concluded regarding manner of death.Beyond this incident, there are no prominent recent reports of other major events, operations, closures, or environmental issues specifically tied to a junkyard in Estate Cottage. The area is occasionally mentioned in real estate listings (e.g., vacation rentals in nearby properties), but the junkyard itself does not appear to be a well-documented or frequently referenced site in public sources.
Estate Cottage Junkyard on St. Croix: Overview and Recent Incident
Estate Cottage is a residential and mixed-use area (estate) located in the vicinity of Christiansted on the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is part of the broader Christiansted area, known for its historic district, but estates like this often include rural or semi-rural parcels with various properties, including vacant lots, homes, and occasionally industrial or storage sites.The specific “junkyard” referenced in recent reports appears to be an informal or unlicensed scrap metal yard, salvage site, or area used for storing discarded vehicles, metal, and other debris in Estate Cottage. Public records, news coverage, and official statements do not identify it by a formal business name (e.g., no mentions of a registered company like “XYZ Auto Salvage”), suggesting it may be a privately owned lot or an unregulated dumping/scrap area rather than a commercial operation. Such sites are not uncommon in parts of St. Croix, where old vehicles and scrap materials accumulate in less-developed estate areas.Recent IncidentThe junkyard gained attention following a fatal incident on January 13, 2026:
Historical Context of Estate Cottage, St. CroixEstate Cottage is one of the historic estates (plantations) on the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, located in the Queen’s Quarter (also known as Queen’s Quarter or QQ) near Christiansted. St. Croix’s estates trace their origins to the Danish colonial period, when the island was acquired from France in 1733 by the Danish West India and Guinea Company to expand sugar cultivation and trade.Broader Historical Background of St. Croix Estates
- Colonial Era (1730s–1800s): After Denmark purchased St. Croix in 1733, the island was surveyed and divided into approximately 150-acre plantation plots to encourage settlement and agriculture, primarily sugar, rum, and cotton production. Estates were numbered and often named in the mid-1700s to 1800s, with names appearing more consistently in records after the 1803 abolition of the transatlantic slave trade by Denmark. Many estates featured great houses (owner residences), overseer houses, slave quarters, windmills or animal mills for grinding cane, boiling houses, and other industrial structures powered by enslaved African labor.
- Sugar Plantation Peak: St. Croix became a major sugar producer under Danish rule, with estates forming the economic backbone until the decline of sugar in the 19th century due to emancipation (1848 slave revolt and abolition), competition, and soil exhaustion.
- Post-Emancipation and Modern Era: After the U.S. purchased the islands from Denmark in 1917, many estates transitioned from active plantations to residential, agricultural, or mixed-use land. Some became historic sites, nature preserves, or vacation properties, while others saw informal uses like storage or salvage in less-developed areas.
Specifics on Estate Cottage
- Location and Identification: Estate Cottage is designated as estate number 32 in Queen’s Quarter, situated in the vicinity of Christiansted on the northeastern/central part of St. Croix. It is a relatively small or mid-sized estate parcel in a region that includes both historic residential areas and more rural or mixed-use land.
- Windmill History: Historic maps and surveys indicate a windmill was likely constructed on the estate in the late 18th century (possibly 1770s–1790s), during the height of sugar production. Windmills were common on St. Croix estates to power cane crushing before steam engines became widespread. Field surveys by historians (e.g., as documented on St. Croix windmill records) have not located identifiable ruins of this windmill, suggesting it may have been dismantled, eroded, or built over time.
- No Major Prominent Plantation Records: Unlike well-known estates such as Estate Whim (oldest preserved sugar plantation museum, dating to the 1740s), Estate Little Princess (a former sugar/rum plantation now a nature preserve with restored Afro-Danish architecture), Estate Grange (boyhood home of Alexander Hamilton), or others tied to notable figures or events, Estate Cottage does not appear prominently in major historical accounts, National Register listings, or tourism-focused plantation histories. It was likely a working sugar estate in the 18th–19th centuries but without standout documented events, owners, or structures that have been preserved or highlighted.
- Modern Context: Today, Estate Cottage is a mixed residential and undeveloped area with homes, vacant lots, and occasional commercial or informal uses (e.g., the junkyard site referenced in recent news). It appears in property records, real estate listings, and occasional infrastructure reports (e.g., utility issues), reflecting its evolution from colonial plantation to contemporary Virgin Islands community land.
In summary, Estate Cottage represents a typical, lesser-documented example of St. Croix’s colonial plantation system—rooted in Danish sugar economy and enslaved labor—rather than a flagship historic site. Its late-18th-century windmill marks it as part of the island’s industrial agricultural past, though physical remnants are not prominent today. For deeper details, resources like the St. Croix Landmarks Society, windmill surveys, or Danish colonial maps provide valuable insights into estates like this one.
Accidental Death in Estate Cottage on St. Croix: A Timeline of Events
- At approximately 8:19 a.m., a concerned citizen called 911 to report a man down at the junkyard in Estate Cottage, Christiansted.
- Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded and pronounced the individual dead on arrival.
- Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) detectives responded and observed head trauma on the body.
- Initial reports described the death as under investigation, with foul play not ruled out at first.
- An autopsy later determined the cause of death as accidental death by falling, with severe head trauma from the fall. The deceased was identified as 55-year-old Guadaloupe Mosquea-Paredes.