FREDERIKSTED — A man accused of stabbing a victim in his sleep and hitting him with a steel pipe was jailed.
Alexander “Alex” Mateo, 47, of the Dominican Republic, was arrested Thursday and charged with third-degree assault, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The charge stems from an incident that took place at 1:44 a.m. on August 30, when an adult male victim was transported to the Juan F. Luis Hospital Emergency Room via ambulance for medical treatment, according to the VIPD.
VIPD mug shot of Alexander “Alex” Mateo, 47, of the Dominican Republic
The victim reported to officers that while he was asleep inside the shuttered gym located upstairs of Subway Restaurant in Golden Rock, he was assaulted by a male with a knife and a metal pipe, police said.
As a result of the assault, the victim sustained serious injuries to his arm, according to police.
Detectives with the Criminal Investigation Bureau determined that Alexander Mateo was identified as the suspect in this case and an All Points Bulletin (APB) was put out on him.
On September 18, 2025, Mateo surrendered to officers present at the Wilbur Francis Command in Mars Hill where he was advised of his Miranda Rights and agreed to give a statement, VIPD spokeswoman Kishma Chichester said.
The suspect was then taken into official custody, booked and processed, according to Chichester.
Bail for Mateo set at $75,000.00. Unable to post bail, he was transferred to the Bureau of Corrections at the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility in Golden Grove.
He was scheduled for an advice-of-rights hearing in Superior Court at Kingshill this morning.
