John McCarthy
By: Virgin Islands Free Press News Desk
ST. THOMAS — An Annas Retreat man is facing domestic violence and unlawful entry charges after police say he picked open his grandmother’s front door with a machete before scattering personal belongings across the floor and hurling tools off a porch during an apparent mental episode.
Albert Lindo III, 39, appeared before Magistrate Judge Simone M. VanHolten-Turnbull in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands on Monday morning following his arrest over the weekend.
Lindo is charged with:
- Forcible and Unlawful Entry (14 V.I.C. § 1747(2) / 16 V.I.C. § 91(b)(7))
- Disturbance of the Peace (14 V.I.C. § 622(1))
Machete and Scattered Suitcases
According to a Probable Cause Fact Sheet authored by VIPD Officer Tamika Beazer, officers were dispatched to 148-103 Annas Retreat at approximately 4:48 p.m. on Friday, July 31, 2026, regarding a disturbance at a duplex residence.
Upon arrival, police made contact with Lindo’s grandmother, Olive Phillips, who stated that Lindo resides on the other side of the home. Phillips told officers she was sitting on her living room couch when she suddenly heard a noise at the front door.
Phillips reported seeing Lindo use a machete to pick open the front lock and enter the dwelling. Once inside, Lindo allegedly picked up a brown box of clothes and a pink suitcase and dumped their contents across the living room floor while shouting loudly and demanding money.
When responding officers attempted to speak with Lindo by the residence stairs, he was largely unresponsive to questioning. Officer Beazer noted in her report that Lindo “appeared to be going through a mental episode” before walking up onto the front porch and throwing tools and other miscellaneous items down the stairs.
Arrest and Advice of Rights
Officers detained Lindo and placed him in a police cruiser for transport to the Richard Callwood Command. As officers were leaving the scene, Lindo’s designated third-party custodian, Harriet Williams, was informed that the incident was being processed under domestic violence statutes.
Police noted that Lindo could not be fully booked or processed on Friday due to his mental state, and he was remanded to the Bureau of Corrections without bail pending his Advice of Rights hearing.
Released on $1,000 Unsecured Bond
During Monday’s hearing, Magistrate Judge VanHolten-Turnbull found probable cause for the charges and appointed the Office of the Territorial Public Defender to represent Lindo.
The court set bail at $1,000, allowing Lindo’s release on an unsecured bond under strict pre-trial supervision conditions:
- No Weapons: Prohibited from possessing any firearms, ammunition, or dangerous weapons.
- Substance Restrictions: Strictly prohibited from consuming alcohol or controlled substances.
- Mandatory Employment: Ordered to maintain his employment with Bobby Trucking.
- Probation Checks: Must report in person to the Office of Probation twice per week.
Lindo is scheduled to appear for his formal arraignment/preliminary examination on Friday, August 21, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the Barbel Plaza South Magistrate Division.
📜 FLASHBACK: This isn’t Albert Lindo III’s first run-in with law enforcement this year. Read our full February report on the daytime gold-chain snatching at Coki Beach that erupted into a parking lot shootout: https://vifreepress.com/2026/02/chain-reaction-coki-point-robbery-ignites-deadly-gun-battle/
