Crime

Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for 2021 Murder of Nancy Nieves

ST. THOMAS — The V.I. Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that 35-year-old Tyley Smith has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of 58-year-old Nancy Nieves, an incident that occurred in June 2021. The sentencing was delivered by V.I. Superior Court Judge Alphonso G. Andrews, Jr. on Monday following Smith's plea to second-degree murder. Smith had entered the plea on July 22, 2024, just as the case was about to go to trial. His defense counsel had advocated for a reduced sentence of ten years, but the court imposed a harsher punishment based on the severity of the crime. The murder took place on June 2, 2021, when Nieves' body was discovered by the side of the road in Estate St. John, St. Croix. The injuries inflicted upon her were so severe that authorities were initially unable to identify her through conventional means. A DNA analysis was conducted, which eventually confirmed her identity. The V.I. Police Department launched an investigation, but Smith fled th...