Man Who Shot and Killed Victim While Attempting to Rob Victim's Gold Chain Pleads Guilty; Sentencing Scheduled for January

The V.I. Department of Justice announced late Thursday said that a St. Croix man who was facing criminal charges for killing Terrance Moorehead in 2015, confessed to the crime by pleading guilty moments before trial was to begin in the V.I. Superior Court, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on  January 29, 2020. Menelik Petersen, 25, agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder for the April 11, 2015 killing of Mr. Moorehead of Pepper Tree Terrace.  Jury selection began on Monday, November 18. Trial was scheduled to begin on Wednesday. Mr. Petersen entered the plea moments before trial was scheduled to start on Wednesday. He appeared for the hearing before Judge Douglas A. Brady who asked Mr. Petersen questions to assure the court that his plea was voluntary before accepting the plea. The People of the V.I. were represented by DOJ Prosecutor, Chief Deputy Attorney General Joseph Ponteen. According to the affidavit of Det. Leon Cruz, Mr. Moorehead was shot at about 2:00 a.m. out...