ST. CROIX — A husband and wife were found dead Saturday night inside a residence in Estate St. John, Christiansted, in an incident that the V.I. Police Department says preliminary findings indicate may be a homicide-suicide.
When The Consortium contacted the VIPD about the incident, the department was still gathering information. The publication later learned that the woman had been badly stabbed in the upper body, a detail police subsequently confirmed. VIPD Director of Communications Glen Dratte said the 911 Emergency Call Center received the report at approximately 8:24 p.m. from a woman who told authorities she had arrived at the residence and found an unresponsive female inside. The caller then left the home and contacted 911.
Responding officers entered the residence and found the woman unresponsive. Detectives from the VIPD Criminal Investigation Bureau subsequently responded to the scene and, while examining the home, located an unresponsive male inside a bathroom. Police said he appeared to have sustained a possible gunshot wound.
The two were identified by next of kin as 56-year-old Carmen Ferdinand and her husband, 57-year-old Dennis Ferdinand.
The VIPD said preliminary findings indicate that the deaths may have resulted from a homicide-suicide, and that the circumstances surrounding what occurred inside the residence remain under active investigation.
Detectives are asking anyone with information about the incident or other criminal activity to contact 911, the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-778-2211, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
