FREDERIKSTED — One of two cousins accused of killing a Virgin Islands lottery worker and her lover more than a year ago was flown back from Atlanta on Saturday afternoon to face murder charges here.
Joshawn Ayala, 20, is charged with first-degree murder, unauthorized possession of firearm during a crime of violence, attempted murder, first-degree assault, third-degree assault, unauthorized possession of ammunition and first-degree reckless endangerment, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The charges stem from the shooting deaths of Stacie Schjang in Peter’s Rest on January 27, 2022 and Arnold Jarvis in Chenay Bay on February 4, 2022 on St. Croix.
Members of the VIPD extradited Ayala at 3:06 p.m. Saturday from Columbus, Georgia where he was being detained on an arrest warrant.
He was transported from the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport and placed officially under arrest for the murder of Schjang and Jarvis.
Bail for Ayala was set at $1,000,000.00 as per the Superior Court. Unable to post bail, he was remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections.
At the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility, he was processed and now awaits an advice-of-rights hearing, which is scheduled for Monday, February 27, 2023.
Police said they will also transport 31-year-old Anthony Schneider back to St. Croix to face murder charges here once his Georgia case has been cleared by Georgia court officials.
“The department will extradite his cohort after he is adjudicated in Georgia on criminal charges committed in Georgia,” VIPD spokeswoman Kishma Chichester said.
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