John McCarthy
By: Virgin Islands Free Press News Desk
FREDERIKSTED — A St. Croix woman is facing domestic violence charges after police say a verbal dispute over alleged infidelity escalated into a physical attack with an iron pipe, leaving her partner injured.
Susan DeJesus was arrested on August 4, 2026, by Virgin Islands Police Officers following an investigation into the late July incident. She was remanded to the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility without bail pending her Advice of Rights hearing on Wednesday morning before Superior Court Magistrate Christopher M. Timmons.
Hospital Contact and Conflicting Accounts
According to a Probable Cause Fact Sheet authored by VIPD Officer Inais Borque, police were initially dispatched to the Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital on July 27 to assist with an assault report. There, officers spoke with DeJesus, who was receiving treatment for medical conditions, including epilepsy.
DeJesus initially told detectives that during a July 25 argument regarding suspected unfaithfulness with her partner and caretaker of over 35 years, Alva Rohan Gustave, she pushed him in the chest, prompting him to grab her arms and push her to the ground. Officers advised her to pause her statement until she could be formally advised of her rights and medically cleared. VIPD forensics documented abrasions on her buttocks and scratches on her arms.
In a subsequent formal interview at the Wilbur H. Francis Command Station on July 30, DeJesus admitted under Miranda warnings that she had armed herself with an iron tube during the dispute and chased Gustave, throwing it at him but missing. She alleged he then grabbed her and threw her down while holding a rock.
Iron Pipe Attack and Disarming
When police interviewed Gustave on August 1, he recounted a different series of events. Gustave stated that after DeJesus accused him of cheating, he made a sarcastic remark that enraged her. He alleged that DeJesus grabbed an iron pipe from his welding shop and chased him.
Gustave told investigators that after missing him with the first pipe, DeJesus retrieved a second iron pipe and struck him in the left rib area, causing a cut. Gustave stated he managed to disarm DeJesus by trapping the pipe under his armpit and pushing her to the ground to end the attack while her 85-year-old mother pleaded for them to stop. Officers visually verified and photographed a visible laceration on Gustave’s abdomen.
Unregistered Firearms Secured
During her police interview, DeJesus informed officers that Gustave possessed two unregistered firearms at their home. A check with the VIPD Firearms Bureau revealed that while Gustave held a license to possess firearms in the territory, the license had expired.
Gustave informed officers that he had proactively moved the firearms to a secure location following the dispute because he was fearful of DeJesus’ unpredictable behavior. On August 3, Gustave voluntarily surrendered the weapons to the VIPD Firearms Division for safekeeping.
Formal Charges
DeJesus was formally arrested on Tuesday, August 4, and booked at the Wilbur H. Francis Command Station. She has been charged with:
- Third-Degree Assault / Domestic Violence
- Simple Assault & Battery / Domestic Violence
- Disturbance of the Peace by Fighting
Court records indicate DeJesus has no prior criminal record.
