Mugshot of Kertis Tonge Jr. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
The V.I. Department of Justice announced on Wednesday that 34-year-old Kertis Tonge Jr. has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Quanza Heath, closing a case that involved multiple felony convictions stemming from a deadly 2024 shooting inside a Lorraine Village apartment.
According to Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea, the sentence was handed down on November 19 by Judge Ernest E. Morris Jr. The punishment follows a jury verdict issued on September 10, 2025, in which Tonge was found guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault, third-degree assault, reckless endangerment, unauthorized possession of a firearm, and unauthorized possession of ammunition.
Court records show that the incident occurred on October 23, 2024. Tonge arrived uninvited at an apartment in the Lorraine Village housing community shortly before noon and became involved in a dispute with the occupants. During the altercation, he intentionally opened fire into the residence, striking and killing Heath, who was inside. Prosecutors said Tonge fired a total of three shots into the apartment, which at the time was occupied by Heath, an adult female, and multiple children.
A citizen called 911 following the shooting. Responding officers discovered Heath suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and rushed him to Juan F. Luis Hospital for emergency treatment, where he later died from his injuries.
In announcing the sentence, Attorney General Rhea thanked those who worked on the case, acknowledging “the prosecutors, investigators, the Victim Witness Advocate, and the Virgin Islands Police Department” for their efforts throughout the investigation and prosecution.
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