FREDERIKSTED — St. Croix is on edge after Virgin Islands Police said they’re investigating two bodies found in a burned vehicle — and two 19-year-old men have been missing since Friday.
The department has not said if there is any connection between the cases, and police spokesman Glen Dratte said Sunday that the Criminal Investigation Bureau “detectives cannot confirm the identity until we get back the results” of a planned autopsy.
“We’ve submitted samples for DNA testing so we can be able to positively identify the bodies once the results of the resting is completed,” Dratte said via email.
Dratte, in a statement released Friday night, said that the Criminal Investigation Bureau “is currently investigating a matter where two deceased individuals were found in a burnt vehicle near the beach in the vicinity of the former Good Hope School in Frederiksted.”
A caller reported the vehicle at 5:08 p.m. Friday, and police said the bodies had not yet been identified, pending analysis by the Medical Examiner.
In response to questions, Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical Services Director Antonio Stevens confirmed that “the vehicle was on fire prior to responders arriving.”
“Fire service personnel from Frederiksted traveled and extinguished a red truck that was on fire,” VIPD spokeswoman Kishma Chichester said today. “Closer inspection of the vehicle revealed two severely burned bodies inside the vehicle.”
On Sunday, police announced that two 19-year-old men have been missing since around 4 p.m. Friday.
Police said Naleem Jerimiah Browne was last seen at his home at 12-A Queen Street in Frederiksted twn at around 8:40 a.m., wearing a gray jacket, black and white Adidas pants, and a black stocking cap.
“His mother received his last text at about 4:06 p.m.,” according to police.
In addition, police announced that Dion Ahmil Williams, also known as “Ahmillion,” was last seen at around 4 p.m. Friday at his home in La Grange.
Police said Williams was last seen wearing a black T-shirt with pink Nike shorts, and he is known to frequent the waterfront hotel, The Fred, and Cibone Restaurant.
Members of the Major Crimes Unit are assigned and are actively investigating this case, according to Chichester.
“Due to the condition of the two remains we are presently unable to determine a cause of death,” she said. “Samples for dental and DNA testing were submitted to positively identify the bodies. The
results are pending.”
The VIPD is asking the community for any information that can assist in this investigation.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to call 911, the CIB Tip Line at 340-778-4950 or the Major Crimes Unit at 340-772-9111 or by calling the anonymous tip service CrimeStoppers USVI at 1-800-222-8477.