Mugshot of Rajah Caul Jr. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — Rajah Caul Jr., 25, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on September 30 for the 2021 murder of Michael Anthony Cruz. The sentencing, delivered by V.I. Superior Court Judge Alphonso G. Andrews Jr., came after Caul entered a plea of guilty to second-degree murder earlier this year.
The fatal shooting occurred on January 12, 2021, when 23-year-old Cruz was shot multiple times as he arrived at his workplace in Gallows Bay, St. Croix. Surveillance footage revealed that Caul, along with another suspect, arrived at the scene in a stolen red Jeep Grand Cherokee. The vehicle was parked near the Marshall & Sterling Insurance building, where the suspects waited for Cruz to walk by. As Cruz approached, both individuals opened fire, fatally wounding him. Cruz was pronounced dead at the scene.
Caul’s defense attorney had requested a lighter sentence of just 10 years, but the judge ultimately handed down the 30-year sentence, reflecting the severity of the crime. The plea agreement, which saw Caul pleading guilty to second-degree murder, was reached in July 2024.
In a statement following the sentencing, V.I. Attorney General Designee Gordon C. Rhea expressed gratitude to those involved in the case, including the V.I. Department of Justice's Criminal Division, the Virgin Islands Police Department’s Special Operations Unit, and detectives from the VIPD Criminal Investigation Bureau. Their combined efforts, Rhea said, were instrumental in bringing the case to a resolution.
