Wanted man shot dead in Christiansted, murder and arson suspects held
A wanted St. Croix man was fatally shot outside a Christiansted bar early Saturday. Police also arrested suspects in a teen's murder and a post-fight arson.
Three separate violent incidents rock St. Croix in one weekend
Stthomassource.com reports that a St. Croix man wanted on firearms charges was shot and killed outside a Christiansted bar in the early hours of Saturday morning — the same day police announced arrests in two other violent cases: the murder of a 17-year-old and an arson attack following a neighbourhood dispute.
Wanted man killed outside The Hide Out Bar
Hillman Faucher, Jr., 35, died from a single gunshot wound at approximately 3:40 a.m. outside The Hide Out Bar in Christiansted, according to police.
The Virgin Islands Police Department had issued a wanted poster for Faucher in September in connection with allegedly brandishing or shooting a firearm during an assault. Details of that assault remained unclear Saturday.
Faucher's criminal history stretched back more than a decade. In 2010, at age 19, he was charged with murder following a St. Croix shootout. His May 2012 trial ended in a hung jury, and he subsequently accepted a plea deal. In 2015, he faced charges of illegal gun possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. More recently, in May 2024, he was recorded on a nightclub surveillance area firing 12 rounds into the night sky, stopping to reload, and firing five more — all while shouting menacingly, according to court records. No injuries resulted from that incident. He pleaded guilty to brandishing a deadly weapon and received a one-year probation sentence. His alleged companion that night, 37-year-old Angela Minto, pleaded not guilty; her trial is scheduled for January.
Faucher's death is recorded as the 26th homicide on St. Croix and the 43rd in the U.S. Virgin Islands territory this year, according to the Source Homicide List.
19-year-old charged with murder of teen
Police arrested 19-year-old Carim Fingal on Saturday in connection with the shooting death of 17-year-old Ky'Jahnny Niles, who was killed Thursday night in the Walter I.M. Hodge Pavilion. A second victim, 18 years old, was wounded in the same incident and remained in stable condition, police said.
Fingal was charged with murder, assault, and carrying a weapon during the commission of a crime. Bail was set at $1 million, and he was expected to appear in court Monday.
Assault victim's house burned down after fight
Shortly before 10 a.m. Friday, emergency responders in St. Croix received calls reporting both an assault and a house fire at the same location. A 911 caller told police that Joshua Torres, 42, had beaten a person with a stick, causing visible injuries, and then set the victim's residence alight.
The fire resulted in a complete loss of the residence, police said in a written statement. Officers apprehended Torres shortly after arriving on scene.
Torres was charged with second-degree arson and third-degree assault. Bail was set at $100,000, and he was transported to the John Bell Adult Correctional Facility pending an advice of rights hearing Monday.
Torres had prior convictions. In September 2023, he was found guilty of aggravated assault and battery following an incident in the Sion Hill neighbourhood in which he smashed windows and four vehicles with a machete while shouting at the occupants of a home. During his arrest at the time, Torres pushed officers to the ground and attempted to flee twice — once outside his home and once inside Juan F. Luis Hospital — requiring police to deploy a taser on both occasions. Two officers sustained cuts to their knees and shoulders in the struggle.
In November 2024, Torres was sentenced to a 60-day suspended sentence, one year of probation, and 40 hours of community service. He had been discharged from probation on November 19, 2025 — less than a year before this latest alleged attack.
Source: Google News VI — Crime