Police say missing man was person of interest in homicide

V.I. Police are investigating the possibility that two people were killed Friday in retaliation for a previous homicide, according to St. Croix Chief of Detectives Naomi Joseph.

Detectives are still working to piece together evidence from a grisly scene near the former Good Hope School in Frederiksted, where two bodies were found in a burning vehicle Friday. DNA evidence from the bodies is being compared to that of two missing 19-year-old men who were last seen Friday, Joseph said in a video statement published online Monday.

The deaths are being investigated as homicides, “only because we don’t believe the individuals drove themselves here and set themselves on fire,” Joseph said. Identification has been difficult “because of how badly burnt they were,” and they’re hoping to complete autopsies “before the end of the week,” Joseph said.