St. Croix Attempted Murder Suspect Caught at Delaware Racetrack After Fleeing USVI

Dumaray Iles, 34, wanted for a November 2025 shooting in Golden Rock, was arrested at Delaware Park Racetrack on October 7 while working as a horse handler.

St. Croix Man Arrested at Delaware Racetrack on Attempted Murder Charges

Dumaray Iles, 34, wanted in connection with a November 2025 shooting in Golden Rock, St. Croix, was taken into custody on October 7 at Delaware Park Racetrack in Wilmington, where federal investigators found he had been working as a horse handler. Viconsortium.com reports that members of the U.S. Marshals Service's Delaware First State Fugitive Task Force arrested Iles without incident.

Iles faces charges of first-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, and mayhem stemming from a November 27, 2025 incident near the Golden Rock traffic light on Northside Road. Federal investigators said he had left the U.S. Virgin Islands for Philadelphia in May 2026, approximately six months after the shooting. The investigation was conducted jointly by the U.S. Marshals Service and Homeland Security Investigations.

Months-Long Manhunt Ends in Delaware

The V.I. Police Department formally requested assistance on August 4 from the U.S. Marshals Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. That investigation eventually pointed authorities north to Delaware. On September 30, marshals received information that Iles was employed as a horse handler at Delaware Park Racetrack, prompting investigators in the District of the Virgin Islands to contact their Delaware counterparts and request assistance.

The Delaware task force tracked Iles to the racetrack and made the arrest without incident. He is currently held at the Howard R. Young Correctional Facility in Wilmington pending extradition to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

"Those wanted for violent crimes should understand that crossing state lines or traveling thousands of miles will not stop the U.S. Marshals Service from pursuing them," said Kwesi R. Howard, U.S. Marshal for the District of the Virgin Islands. "Our partnerships and nationwide reach allow us to track down fugitives and bring them before the courts to answer for their alleged crimes. This arrest is another example of that commitment," Howard added.

Two Other Suspects Charged Days Earlier

The November 27 shooting occurred on Northside Road near Pueblo Supermarket at approximately 11:40 p.m. Officers who responded found two men with gunshot wounds inside a vehicle. Both were transported by ambulance to Juan F. Luis Hospital. One sustained injuries that were not life-threatening; the other was listed in critical but stable condition and was being prepared for a possible medical airlift. The Criminal Investigation Bureau opened an investigation and appealed to the public for information.

The case has produced multiple arrests in recent days. On October 5, VIPD announced that Jamil Saker, 27, and Niquan Joseph, 20, had been arrested in connection with the same November 27 shooting. A Superior Court judge signed arrest warrants for both men on September 29 following a CIB investigation. Both were charged with first-degree assault and reckless endangerment, with bail set at $100,000 each, and were transported to the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility pending initial court appearances. The U.S. Marshals announcement concerning Iles identifies the same shooting date and location but does not explain how his alleged involvement relates to the charges filed against Saker and Joseph.

Racing Commission Records Shed Light on Delaware Activities

Separate records from the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission provide additional detail about Iles's time in the state. A June 26, 2026 ruling identifies Iles as a groom and records a $200 fine for failing to disclose required information about his arrest record on a racing license application. The violation was recorded as occurring on May 20 — the same month federal investigators said Iles left the Virgin Islands for Philadelphia. The commission had obtained a criminal-history background check and determined that Iles had omitted required arrest-history information. The document does not identify the arrests involved or establish whether the fine was paid. The racing commission matter is separate from the Virgin Islands criminal investigation.

Earlier Criminal History

Iles's name also surfaced in a prior St. Croix homicide case. In November 2015, The Consortium reported that a man identified as Dumaray Isles — then 23 and listed as a resident of Estate Upper Love — was among four people charged in connection with the killing of 73-year-old Augustus Bannis, who was beaten and carjacked in Grove Place in August of that year and died two months later. The trial of Iles and co-defendant Jahmal Rivera ended in a mistrial after defense attorneys jointly requested one and prosecutors did not oppose the motion. Superior Court Judge Douglas Brady ordered a new trial to be scheduled at the earliest practicable date. The Consortium has not established whether another trial ultimately took place or how those charges against Iles were resolved. Two other defendants in the Bannis killing, Enock Justin Cole and Avondale George Jr., were subsequently convicted and sentenced to prison.

Wednesday's arrest places Iles in custody more than ten months after the Golden Rock shooting and roughly two months after Virgin Islands authorities formally sought federal assistance. The U.S. Marshals Service has not announced a date for his extradition to the territory.

Source: Google News VI — Crime