77°F
ST. THOMAS — A 21-year-old man accused in the killing of J’Niya Rambaran was arrested Saturday at Cyril E. King Airport as he prepared to board a flight to the U.S. mainland, according to the V.I. Police Department.
Kevin Warrell was identified as a suspect after detectives reviewed information received during the investigation and obtained surveillance footage, police said.
On Saturday, October 3, investigators learned that Warrell was at Cyril E. King Airport and preparing to leave the territory. Detectives responded to the airport, detained him and transported him to the Richard N. Callwood Command.
VIPD Director of Communications Glen Dratte subsequently confirmed the arrest to The Consortium, saying cases can be solved quickly when investigators receive cooperation from the community.
Warrell was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
By order of the court, bail was set at $1 million. Unable to post bail, Warrell was remanded to the Bureau of Corrections pending his Advice of Rights hearing.
Rambaran, 21, was killed in the early morning hours of September 28 on Veterans Drive in St. Thomas.
As The Consortium reported at the time, VIPD’s gunshot detection system registered multiple gunshots in the area at approximately 1 a.m. Patrol officers responding to the alert found Rambaran suffering from at least one gunshot wound.
She was transported to Schneider Regional Medical Center, where she later died from her injuries. Her identity was released after notification of next of kin.
At the time of the killing, police said the suspect or suspects were unknown and did not publicly identify a possible motive or provide a description of anyone being sought.
Rambaran’s death brought St. Thomas’s homicide count for the year to 17 and the territorywide total to 39, including 22 homicides on St. Croix at that point in the year.
Five days later, police say their investigation had led them to Warrell.
His arrest at the airport comes amid repeated appeals from VIPD leadership for residents to cooperate with investigators and provide information about violent crimes.
The investigation into Rambaran’s killing remains ongoing.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-774-2211, call 911, or submit information anonymously through Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
