Police Nab Murder Suspect After More Than a Year On the Run
14 August 2020
Law enforcement officers here have made a breakthrough into an alleged homicide incident that occurred in Castries 16 months ago.
The daylight shooting along the city streets resulted in the death of Chad Ramsey, 33.
Police reported that the male suspect, now in custody had been on the run for the past year.
Gun crimes have been rampant throughout the island for some time. To date, police report that at least 100 guns have been confiscated, along with a quantity of ammunition.
On April 18, 2019 at about 1:00 p.m. the body of Ramsey, a resident of George Charles Boulevard, Marchand, was found with an apparent gunshot injury to the head, at the corner of Broglie Street and Brazil Street, Castries.
Last Tuesday August, 11 during a joint police operation, conducted by the Major Crime Unit and Special Services Unit, a warrant to search a property was executed at a residence in Bois d’Orange, Gros Islet, which resulted in the seizure of a .25 calibre pistol and the arrest of two individuals who were subsequently charged.
Joshua Francis “aka” Josh, a 25 year old resident of Bois d’Orange was arrested and charged for the unlawful possession of a firearm and for causing the death of Ramsey.
Amy Thomas a 29 year old resident of Mongiraud, Gros Islet, was also arrested and charged for possession of a firearm and for harbouring a criminal, Francis.
Police say that they had been on the trail of Ramsey for over a year, before they finally apprehended him. Both individuals have been remanded in custody, until September, 24 for further case management.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident a resident of Riviere Mitant Gros Islet is thanking her lucky stars that she managed to evade two gunmen after they reportedly opened fire at her residence.
The incident occurred on Tuesday at about 11. 00 p.m when two men followed Mandy Bruno from her workplace to her place of residence.
Bruno said that upon arriving home, she examined her surroundings and looking into her rear view mirror saw someone heading towards her vehicle.
“I sat back in my vehicle and pulled the door, but the person had walked so fast that they managed to hold the door handle,” she stated.
She said the individual pointed a gun at her, while another bandit with a firearm suddenly appeared on the other side. The men took her mobile telephone. She recalled screaming, at which point one of the men tried to hold her mouth.
Bruno said she shifted herself to prevent that from happening, at which point she was asked to exit her vehicle.
“My handbag was on the passenger seat. I took my handbag and I left the vehicle for them,” she explained.
Bruno said the men attempted to go with the vehicle but could not start it, whereupon they confronted her on the steps to her house as she was about to enter the building and demanded the keys.
At that moment, according to Bruno, she managed to shake them off by telling the men that she had left her keys in the vehicle. Bruno said the men jumped over the balcony to try to get the vehicle keys, at which point she entered her house and slammed the door shut.
“That’s when they started bursting shots – they burst shots at the vehicle,” she said.
“I realised that they were upset because what they came for, they could not leave with it,” Bruno said.
Bruno expressed the view that the men had come for her vehicle. She cautioned motorists, especially females, to be vigilant and recognise when bandits are tailing them.
She stated that the people of her community have been very supportive and she is thankful to God that she was not hurt.