Moments Major to Deadly Glitter’s Jewelry Shop Capturing In depth in Courtroom 17-12 months-Outdated Suspects Getting Billed as Older people Confront Lifetime in Jail

ST. THOMAS — Two 17-12 months-olds face the risk of life in prison devoid of parole pursuing a deadly daylight robbery that happened in December 2021. 

Akenda Weeks and Jahmar Lewis deal with a full of 28 charges every, such as 1st-degree murder, tried 1st-degree murder, kidnapping for the purposes of theft, grand larceny and reckless endangerment. The offenses of 1st-diploma murder and kidnapping for the goal of robbery just about every have possible lifetime sentences. 

Months and Lewis are amongst four people billed for the armed theft which occurred at the Glitter’s jewelry store in Havensight Shopping mall on Saturday, December 04. The incident, which took area at around 11:00 a.m. left two people today critically wounded. A person of the victims, 56-year-outdated Gregorianna Julien ultimately succumbed to her injuries weeks later on. 

The 9-webpage probable lead to actuality sheet reveals that law enforcement reviewed surveillance footage of a black Honda Odyssey moving into the browsing middle and coming to a quit around the jewellery keep, angled toward the exit. 3 masked adult males ended up then observed exiting the automobile, two with guns in hand. The very first suspect, later identified as Micaiah Cozier carried a handgun, though a different suspect recognized as Jahmar Lewis carried a very long gun. A 3rd, unnamed suspect was demonstrated carrying a bag, even though Akenda Weeks was afterwards decided to be the driver who remained in the car or truck. 

In accordance to the probable induce simple fact sheet, the 3 males ended up seen swiftly jogging into the jewelry retailer and pulling the now deceased Julien again inside towards her will. Julien, who was reportedly procuring at the time was leaving the store when the guys entered. The men were found exiting the retailer and running again into the van seconds later on. Court documents expose that Lewis turned around to fireplace again into the shop, discharging various rounds ahead of the motor vehicle sped off. As component of investigations, police acquired that the suspects took jewelry valued at about $18,000 all through the theft.

Law enforcement later on situated the getaway car or truck unoccupied and with the motor operating in the driveway of an abandoned making in Frenchman’s Bay. Subsequent investigations discovered that the motor vehicle was a rental that had been documented stolen on November 24th, 2021. Police also acquired that the car was previously rented to Akenda Weeks in September. The VIPD was afterwards informed that the suspects experienced switched getaway cars and this suggestion led them in the route of 1 of the other suspects. A few of the four suspects ended up also identified by means of the surveillance footage. 

Investigations into the surprising crime decided that the 4 people — 1 grownup and a few minors — experienced been planning the theft for about a month. It was learned that the unnamed suspect and Weeks stole the minivan in November to use in the commission of the fatal criminal offense. Police also discovered that Weeks experienced been to the keep multiple times in the month major up to the robbery and experienced positioned jewellery on layaway. According to the fact sheet, the unnamed suspect afterwards admitted to carrying the bag used to collect the stolen loot which the 4 later break up amid them selves, offering some on the road. 

While the four ended up in the beginning slapped with armed robbery charges on December 17th, 2021, the make a difference became a felony murder scenario just after Julien succumbed on January 2nd, 2022. At a court docket hearing on Wednesday, Brenda Scales requested that bail for Lewis and Weeks keep on being as set in the amount of money of $1 million. The Assistant V.I. Legal professional Standard argued that the defendants are flight challenges as they face the relaxation of their life in jail. Nonetheless, lawyer Andy Johnson who appeared on behalf of the minors insisted that the determine was “inherently excessive.” Johnson asserted that if a proverbial hat was passed all over to absolutely everyone listening in on the listening to, it would not arrive close to supplying a million pounds. He went further to propose that these a figure sends the concept that a abundant defendant can bond out while a weak a single are unable to. 

Even though Scales doubled down on her ask for for a million-greenback bail, Decide Paula Norkaitis finally lowered the determine to $500,000 each and every, with no 10 per cent provision. The decide affirmed that no third-celebration custodian would be acceptable enough to mitigate the excessive hazard the minors pose to the community. As these types of, if Weeks and Lewis protected launch, they will each and every be positioned on 24/7 property arrest with digital monitoring. Both equally defendants are strictly prohibited from possessing any kind of contact with co-defendants, witnesses and the surviving target in the make any difference. They will next seem in court on March 18th.