>>> THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX OR ITS STAFF.

>>> THE UPCOMING PROGRAM WAS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED.

>> THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX OR ITS STAFF OR UNDERWRITERS.

>>> THIS IS VIRGIN ISLANDS CASE FILES .22 YEARS AGO STREET, MY SON JASON WAS SHOT TO DEATH IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.

HE WAS 18 YEARS OLD AND HAD JUST COMPLETED HIS FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE.

JASON´S KILLER WAS BROUGHT TO JUSTICE, BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES ACROSS THE TERRITORY WITH MURDERED LOVED ONES , CASES THAT REMAIN UNSOLVED.

"VI CASE FILES" WAS CREATED TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THESE STORIES IN AN EFFORT TO GET YOU, THE COMMUNITY, INVOLVED.

IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ANY OF THE CASES ON THIS EPISODE, CALL CRIME STOPPERS USC I AT ONE 802 22 TIPS.

OUR FIRST CASE INVOLVES TWO YOUNG MEN, COUSINS, SHOTS TO DEATH TWO YEARS AGO IN A VACANT HOUSING COMMUNITY .

HERE IS THE STORY OF RICKY AND ERIN ASHLEY.

>> RICKY AND ERIN WERE NEPHEWS BUT THEY SHOULD BE VIEWED AS FAMILY TO THE ENTIRE ISLAND.

RICKY DIDN´T SAY MUCH, BUT HE ALWAYS HAD A SMILE AND IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE HIM, FATHER BECAUSE I ALWAYS VIEWED HIM AS A KID.

ONCE HE BECAME A FATHER HE GREW UP VERY QUICKLY AND TOOK ON A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY AND REALLY LIVED HIS LIFE .

IT WAS EVERYTHING.

THAT LITTLE GIRL MADE HIM SO PROUD.

I WAS REALLY PROUD TO SEE THE MAN HE BECAME.

HE WAS A FATHER, HE WAS A SON, HE WAS A NEPHEW, AND HE HAD HIS ENTIRE LIFE AHEAD OF HIM.

HE WAS AN IMPORTANT MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY AND WE ALL LOVED HIM AND IT IS SAD THAT HIS DAUGHTER HAS TO GROW UP WITHOUT A FATHER.

>> ERIN HAD THE HEART.

HE WAS A VERY LOVING PERSON.

MY NICKNAME FOR HIM AS A BABY WAS POPPY AND AS HE GOT OLDER, HE WAS A PRINCE.

HE WAS A CHILD THAT LOVED TO PLAY.

MANY OF TIMES I PICKED UP MY CELL PHONE AND FOUND VIDEOS OF HIM THAT HE MADE OF HIMSELF AND HE POSTED ON FACEBOOK ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE.

>> ELEPHANT!

>> ERIN WAS A CHARACTER.

HE WAS JUST SOMEBODY THAT WAS A HAPPY-GO-LUCKY CHILD , INCREDIBLY INTELLIGENT.

>> IF YOU EVER SAT AND HAD A CONVERSATION WITH HIM, YOU WOULD BE AMAZED AT HIS INTELLECT AND HIS PRECOCIOUS NURSE.

>> HE COULD NOT WAIT TO JOIN RISING STARS .

HIS FIRST SUMMER IN RISING STARS , HE SHOWED UP EVERY DAY AND LEARN TO DOUBLE TENOR .

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST OF ALL WAS TURNING 13 , BETWEEN TURNING 13 AND REACHING SIX FEET.

HIS FATHER WAS 6´2".

>> MY BROTHER PASSED AWAY TWO YEARS PRIOR TO ERIN´S PASSING AND HE WAS WITH THEM AT THE TIME AND LOSING HIM WAS TRAUMATIC AND IMPACTFUL TO OUR FAMILY.

HAVING ERIN THERE AND SEEING HE WAS SO MUCH LIKE HIS FATHER AND KNOWING HE HAD A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF HIM DEFINITELY GAVE US SOME SOLACE.

>> ONCE BEFORE HE WAS KILLED, HE CALLED ME UP TO SPEAK TO ME AND TALK TO ME ABOUT HIS GRIEF, ABOUT LOSING HIS DAD, AND WANTING TO GO LIVE WITH HIS UNCLE.

>> HE DECIDED HE WANTED TO COME LIVE WITH ME AND GO TO HIGH SCHOOL AND HE TOLD HIS MOM THIS.

>> YOU CANNOT TEACH ME TO BE A MAN.

AT THAT POINT I SAID OKAY, HE´S YOURS.

WE PURCHASED HIS TICKET AUGUST 7th.

>> JULY 9th, 2020, HE WAS SHOT AND KILLED.

WE KNOW THAT RICKY WAS WORKING IN THAT AREA .

HE WAS MOVING TRASH .

HIS COUSINS WERE RIDING ALONG WITH HIM .

THEY WERE THERE WERE SHOTS BEING FIRED.

WHEN THE OFFICER ARRIVED AT THE SCENE HE FOUND A YOUNG MAN ON THE SIDEWALK THAT HAVE BEEN SHOT.

HE WAS THE ONE ON THE SIDEWALK.

HE WENT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE AMBULANCE CAME AND TOOK HIM TO THE HOSPITAL, WHERE HE LATER DIED.

IN THAT AREA, THE OFFICERS ALSO FOUND THIS.

HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD BY THE EMT.

ONCE HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD , WE HAD THE TIME UNIT AND FORENSICS STARTED TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE IN THE AREA TO FIND OUT IF ANYONE SAW OR HEARD ANYTHING.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE INTERVIEWED BUT THEY DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING.

>> RICKY AND ERIN WERE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY , SERVING THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THEM TO HAVE BEEN GUNNED DOWN , SENSELESSLY, FROM THIS HIDEOUS ACT , I CALL IT AN ACT OF EVIL.

>> THE COMMUNITY IS STILL REELING FROM THE SHOOTINGS THAT CLEANED THE LIFE OF AARON AND RICKY ASHBY.

WE CANNOT REST UNTIL WE STOP GUN VIOLENCE IN THIS TERRITORY.

IN THIS CASE, THE 14-YEAR-OLD WHO WAS GUNNED DOWN THAT HAD A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF HIM, WE CANNOT ALLOW THESE CULPRITS TO GO UNCHECKED.

WE HAVE TO BRING THEM TO JUSTICE.

>> SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IN INVESTIGATING THIS IS THE FACT THAT THE BUILDINGS WERE ABANDONED.

THEY WERE SCHEDULED FOR DEMOLITION.

IT WAS NOT HOW IT USED TO BE IN THE PAST.

ALSO THE FACT THAT BOTH VICTIMS WERE DECEASED.

HE WAS JUST HANGING OUT WITH HIS COUSIN.

A LOT OF THEM WERE YOUNG AND THE FACT THAT SOMEONE TOOK BOTH OF THEIR LIVES, AARON WAS SHOT IN THE BACK .

THAT REALLY, REALLY TOUCHED ME.

>> WHAT IS THAT?

>> THE HARDEST THING IS THE MEMORIES.

WHILE, YOU KNOW, SOME WOULD MAKE ME LAUGH, THAT VIDEO OF HIM AND I DANCING IN HIS SISTER´S ROOM IN NEW YORK, CHRISTMAS OF 2019, IN SOME GOD- AWFUL NIGHTGOWN .

IT MAKES ME SAD BECAUSE WE WILL NEVER HAVE THOSE MOMENTS AGAIN.

IT´S HARD, BECAUSE WHEN I GET HOME HE´S NOT IN MY HOUSE.

I DON´T HEAR HIM PLAYING HIS VIDEO GAMES.

MY HOUSE IS QUIET AND IT FEELS LIKE A PRISON WITHOUT HIM THERE.

IT´S LIKE PART OF MY LIFE WAS TAKEN ON JULY 9th.

>> WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE THAT BUT KNOWING THAT THE PERSON OR INDIVIDUALS ARE OUT THERE, LIVING THEIR LIVES , YOU KNOW, THEY CUT RICKY AND AARON´S LIVES SHORT.

IT JUST MAKES IT WORSE.

>> WE ARE FOLLOWING UP ON THE INVESTIGATION .

WE ARE FOLLOWING UP AND HAVE BEEN .

THE TACTICS ARE FOLLOWING UP ON TIPS WHEN THEY COME IN.

NONE OF THOSE TIPS HAVE PANNED OUT TO ANYTHING THAT WE COULD TAKE TO COURT.

>> IT´S BEEN OVER A YEAR AND WE WERE COMING HERE TO TALK.

IF SOMEONE OVERHEARS, CALL CRIME STOPPERS AND TELL THEM WHAT YOU HEARD.

LET US LOOK AT IT .

FOR US, IT MIGHT BE PART OF THE PUZZLE.

>> I BELIEVE THAT THE COMMUNITY SHOULD BECOME INVOLVED IN HELPING THE VIP D SOLVE THIS CASE BECAUSE WHEN WE LOSE A CHILD, THE COMMUNITY LOSES THE POTENTIAL THAT CHILD COULD HAVE HAD .

THERE IS A SAYING THAT GOES, WHEN THE RAIN FALLS, IT DOES NOT FALL ON ONE MAN´S HOUSE.

THAT IS SUCH A TRUE STATEMENT.

WHEN TRAGEDY BEFALLS ONE FAMILY , TRAGEDY IS ULTIMATELY DOWN THE ROAD, WAITING FOR THE PERSON NEXT IN LINE.

>> WE NEED TO HAVE OUR YOUTH LOOK AT EACH OTHER AS BROTHERS, AS OPPOSED TO THE ENEMY.

WE NEED JUSTICE FOR AARON AND RICKY , A MAJOR STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.

>> IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THIS CASE, CALL CRIME STOPPERS TODAY AT ONE 802 22 TIPS.

THERE IS A REWARD OF UP TO $60,000 FOR INFORMATION THAT LEADS TO AN ARREST IN THE THIS MONTH MARKS THE EIGHT YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF OUR NEXT CASE.

IT INVOLVES A 33-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO WAS MURDERED IN HER OWN HOME.

HERE IS HER STORY.

>> >> ALL THE FOLKS, FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE.

>> 2014, IN THE AFTERNOON , SHE WAS HERE WITH ME.

THEY WERE DOWN THERE.

WHEN SHE CAME IN, I SAID, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

THAT IS WHAT SHE TOLD ME.

>> 2014 SHE WAS IN OUR BEDROOM.

SHE GOT STRUCK IN THE HEAD.

IN A POOL OF BLOOD, ON THE BED.

>> SHE DID NOT HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD .

THE PERSON HAD BEEN TO THE HOUSE.

>> THIS IS THE WAY TO ENTER.

>> TO ACTUALLY HIT THAT PERSON , SURROUNDED OUT THE BEDROOM.

THE DOGS HAD NEVER BARKED.

>> HER DOG WAS VERY MUCH TRYING TO , SEE?

>> APPARENTLY , SHE KNEW THE INDIVIDUAL THAT CAME THERE.

>> YOUR FIRST SUSPECT , YOU ALWAYS LOOK TOWARD THE HUSBAND OR THE WIFE.

THEN YOU ELIMINATE THEM.

THAT WAS HER BOYFRIEND.

SHE WOULD COME AND GO.

THE RELATIONSHIP WAS NOT AS GOOD.

WHEN WE INTERVIEWED HER FRIENDS , A FEW OF THEM SAY THAT THEY HAD A SITUATION WHERE HE TOOK HER UP TO THE RAIN FOREST, PUT A GUN TO HER HEAD AND THREATENED TO KILL HER AND IF WOULD KILL HER AND WHOEVER SHE MENTIONED IT TO.

SHE NEVER MADE A POLICE REPORT, SHE NEVER MADE NOTHING.

I THINK SHE TOLD HER MOM ABOUT THE SITUATION.

>> RIGHT NOW, I REPORTED.

>> HE WOULD HAVE BEEN ARRESTED.

SHE NEVER MADE A POLICE REPORT, SHE NEVER MADE NOTHING.

HE WAS NEVER ARRESTED.

I GUESS THEY DIDN´T HAVE ENOUGH TO LET THEM GO.

IT´S FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND SAY, HEY.

IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE INFORMATION, THIS COULD LEAD YOU TOWARDS THIS OR IT COULD LEAD YOU TOWARD THAT.

THIS COULD HELP SOMEONE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THEIR LOVED ONE.

>> CHRISTMAS, THANKSGIVING , I PRAY.

>> HER MOTHER IS PRAYING FOR JUSTICE, AND YOU CAN HELP.

IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CASE, CALL CRIME STOPPERS .

>>> UP NEXT, A COLD CASE THAT IS MORE THAN TWO DECADES OLD.

IT INVOLVES A TEENAGER WHO FELL INTO THE WRONG CROWD AND PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE WHEN HE WAS SHOT DEAD IN THE PUBLIC HOUSING COMMUNITY.

HERE IS THE STORY OF KURT LAUREN.

>> THIS IS A PICTURE OF KURT LAWRENCE.

>> THIS PARTICULAR PLACE CASE IS CLOSED.

HE WAS MY COUSIN.

HE WAS RESPECTFUL.

HE WOULD GO OUT OF HIS WAY TO HELP HIS AUNTS, HIS GRANDMOTHER , WITHOUT ANY HESITATION.

>> A KIND, SWEET LITTLE BOY, YOU KNOW?

UNTIL HE STARTED HANGING WITH WOODRUFF, AND THEN HENRY, AND THEN HIS CHARACTER CHANGED.

AT THE TIME, THESE TWO GUYS WERE HENRY AND WAYNE WOULD DROP , A.K.A., DMX.

THEY WERE CONSIDERED THE BAD BOYS, OR THE BAD MEN.

PEOPLE WERE AFRAID OF THEM, ESPECIALLY IN THE CHRISTIAN AREAS.

THEY WERE INFAMOUS .

HE WOULD ACT DIFFERENT, TRYING TO FIT IN, TRYING TO BE MORE LIKE THEM.

THE TRUST THAT HE HAD FOR THEM, HE COULD NOT HAVE SEEN THAT COMING HIS WAY.

I GOT PLEASE COME AND IDENTIFY HIM.

I HAD TO GO AND WATCH A CHILD THAT I KNEW WAS HIS LIFE.

TO ME, 19 IS STILL A CHILD.

WHEN I GOT THERE, I SAW HIM SITTING THERE, SLUMPED OVER WITH A MARIJUANA PAPER IN HIS HAND AS IF HE WAS ABOUT TO ROLL A JOINT .

I KNOW THAT THE INVESTIGATOR WAS RAYMOND KENT.

>> I REMEMBER DISCOVERING A BLACK MALE, LIFELESS , WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND.

I REMEMBER THAT HE CAME TO THE POLICE STATION THE SAME DAY TO BE INTERVIEWED IN REFERENCE TO ANOTHER HOMICIDE THAT HAPPENED JUNE 14th, 2002.

>> WE ARE AT THE CRIME SCENE.

>> ON THE 14th OF JUNE, 2002, THEY WERE IN TIMES SQUARE, SITTING DOWN BY THE LIGHTHOUSE.

>> TWO INDIVIDUALS GOT UP AND HE WAS SHOT AND ENDED UP DYING AT THE HOSPITAL.

>> HE HAD A CAR THAT ALLEGEDLY CAME AND PICKED HIM UP SOMEWHERE IN THE AREA , BASED ON THIS INFORMATION .

>> POLICE IN THAT INVESTIGATION OF THAT CASE FOUND THE CAR THAT WAS USED BY THE SUSPECT PARKED IN THE KENNEDY HOUSING COMMUNITY NEAR TO WHERE KURT´S MOTHER LIVED.

THEY SAID NOTHING AND RELEASED.

THAT NIGHT, HIS FRIENDS, WHO WAS AT THE TIME HENRY, DUANE WOULD DROP CAME TO HIS HOUSE, TOOK HIM TO THE COMMUNITY, AND HE WAS SMOKING MARIJUANA WITH THEM, SOMEONE FROM THAT GROUP SHOT HIM IN THE HEAD AND KILLED HIM.

>> ALL THE MOTIVE COULD HAVE INVOLVED ON WHAT TOOK PLACE IN THIS HOMICIDE AND WHOEVER IT WAS , THEY WERE THE ONES THAT ENDED UP KILLING HIM.

>> FROM WHAT THE INVESTIGATION EXPLORED, THERE WERE AT LEAST 64, WITH HIM WHEN HE GOT KILLED.

HE CAME UP INTO THAT GROUP AND JOSH IT WAS CRAZY.

YOU WOULD´VE HAD TO HAVE SHOT EVERYBODY ELSE THAT WAS THERE AND THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED.

ONE SHOT WAS FIRED.

ONE SHOT KILLED HIM.

IT HAD TO HAVE BEEN HIS BOYS THAT KILLED HIM.

IT HAPPENED IN A HOUSING COMMUNITY WITH HOUSES ON ALL SIDES OF HIM WHEN THIS HAPPENED.

HE WAS SITTING THERE THAT NIGHT WHEN THIS HAPPENED.

>> COULD HAVE BEEN YOUR CHILD MURDERED .

>> THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND THAT HE IS NO LONGER AMONG THE LIVING.

DMX, THE STATUS THAT HE HAD IN THE COMMUNITY , HE IS NOT HERE ANYMORE.

I AM HOPEFUL THAT, MAYBE SOMEBODY HAS BEEN WAITING TO COME FORWARD IN EITHER OF THESE CASES, WHAT HAPPENED TO JAMES AND CHRISTIAN STEAD, WHAT HAPPENED TO KURT LAWRENCE IN THIS COMMUNITY .

THE BIGGEST THREAT IS NO LONGER THERE.

>> EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW WHY.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENED.

>> I HAVE HAD TO TELL MORE MOTHERS THAN I EVER EXPECTED TO HAVE TO TELL THAT THEIR CHILD WAS KILLED.

ONE OF THE CHILDREN WAS INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND THEY STILL WANTED TO KNOW, WHY.

THEY ONLY WANT CLOSURE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION, WHATSOEVER, REGARDING ANY COLD CASE, NO MATTER WHO, ANY COLD CASE, PLEASE BRING THAT INFORMATION INTO US.

WHAT YOU SAY COULD BRING CLOSURE TO A FAMILY.

IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT ANY OF THE CASES FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE , OR INFORMATION ABOUT ANOTHER COLD CASE, CALL CRIME STOPPERS NOW .

YOU CAN REMAIN ANONYMOUS AND YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR CASH REWARDS.

LET US BREAK THE SILENCE ONCE AND FOR ALL, TOGETHER WE CAN BUILD A SAFER COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

>>> THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, ITS STAFF, OR ITS UNDERWRITERS.