Police Arrest Suspect, Recover Stolen Car
The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force arrested one person on suspicion of murder and recovered a reported stolen vehicle during a series of search operations across the territory, the police said on August 12. The force did not disclose the identity of the suspect or locations searched; enquiries continue into multiple recent shootings, including two homicides this month.
The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) says officers have arrested one person on suspicion of murder and recovered a reported stolen vehicle as part of a series of search operations carried out across the territory. The Police Information Office released a brief statement on Wednesday, August 12, saying: during the operations "one individual was arrested on suspicion of murder, one reported stolen vehicle was recovered, and several items of evidential value were seized by officers." The release did not give the identity of the person arrested, the locations searched, or details about the seized items or the recovered vehicle.
The searches form part of continuing investigations into a recent spate of gun crimes that have shaken residents and businesses across the British Virgin Islands since early July. Investigators have not yet said whether the arrested person has been formally charged. Two homicides earlier this month remain under active investigation.
On July 6, 26-year-old K’Moi Walters was shot in Huntums Ghut and later died at the Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital; police described his death as the territory’s first recorded homicide of 2026. During that investigation police previously arrested two males, including a 17-year-old; both were subsequently released.
A second fatal shooting took place on July 28 in Brewers Bay, where businessman Kai De Castro was killed. The RVIPF has said it is pursuing multiple lines of inquiry in both killings. A further violent incident occurred at the Carrot Bay Festival Village on August 6, when two people were reportedly seriously injured in a daylight shooting.
Police had not identified suspects or announced arrests immediately after that incident. Community leaders and residents have expressed concern about the recent violence and its potential impact on public safety and the territory’s reputation. The RVIPF is urging anyone with information to come forward to assist ongoing enquiries, stressing that community cooperation is critical to resolving the cases. "Police enquiries are continuing, and further information will be provided as appropriate," the force said in its statement.
The RVIPF has not released a timetable for further updates.
Primary source: BVI News