BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – REPORTS coming out of the British Virgin Islands on Friday (Jul. 28) have indicated that a male national of St. Kitts and a female of Tortola were charged with the murder of two men who were shot earlier this year in Tortola.
According to Virgin Islands News Online, the Kittitian’s name was given as 22-year-old Shakeel Ryan who, at the time of his arrest, was residing at Long Look; and the female’s name was given as 29-year-old Shakilla Hanley, also of Long Look.
The duo was charged with the murder of Shawn H. Richards and David Springette.
Richards was reportedly outside his Long Look residence on the evening of Saturday, May 6, 2017 when a man walked up to him, fired several shots and fled in the direction of the Stickett.
He was rushed to the Peebles Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries on the following Monday evening.
And Springette was shot outside the Wayside Bar in Fat Hogs Bay on the evening of Wednesday, June 21, 2017 and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The media house also indicated that a press release from the Police Information Department stated that Commissioner of Police Michael Matthews said he was grateful for the painstaking, dedicated teamwork that went into making the arrests.
“It is very difficult to resist the temptation to response and defend the Force when those in the community give commentary on its actions or inactions particularly those who see murders solved in the hour span of a prime time TV show. However, compiling the evidence to bring perpetrators of gun crimes in particular murderers to justice takes a lot longer than an hour and requires a great deal more effort. Very few appreciate or understand the difference. In these types of investigations, unfortunately, the least said, the better for us,” the Commissioner is quoted as saying.
Commissioner Matthews also commended members of the Major Crime Team for their dedication on this and all other cases.
