CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A suspect in a Smith Bay murder was returned to St. Thomas Sunday to face murder charges in the death of his roommate last year.
At 4:28p.m., on Friday September 17, 2021, a citizen contacted 911 to report there was a foul odor in the vicinity of their residence in the Smith Bay/Red Hook area.
Officers from the Mariel C. Newton Command, Major Crimes Unit and Forensic responded and conducted an inspection and discovered human remains in the bushes. The cause of death and identity of the individual was unknown at that time, pending an autopsy.
On September 23, 2021, the Medical Examiner concluded the cause of death was Homicide. The deceased was identified by DNA comparison as 69-year-old Thoms F. Carpenter.
Investigation revealed that Carpenter was killed by his roommate, Troy Massoth. Massoth left St. Thomas and traveled to California shortly after. The St. Thomas Major Crimes Unit, assisted by the Nampa Idaho Investigation unit, and the San Diego California Homicide Unit, located Troy Massoth in Oakland, California.
On January 21, 2022, an arrest warrant was issued, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshal’s Service, Troy Massoth was located in Oakland, California. On Monday January 31, 2021, the Oakland Marshal service, apprehended Troy Massoth at the Oakland airport attempting to board a flight to San Diego, California.
Troy Massoth was extradited to St. Thomas on Sunday February 27, 2022, where he was processed and turned over to the Bureau of Corrections pending Advice of Rights hearing.
He is charged with Murder 1st, Assault 1st, Assault 3rd, Criminal Abuse of an Elder and Financial Exploitation, according to the VIPD.
“I would like to thank the Major Crime unit for the outstanding investigation they did in bringing Troy Massoth to face Justice for the murder of Thomas Carpenter,” Criminal Investigations Bureau (Major Crimes) Chief of Detectives Lt.Shelly-Ann Cannonier said.