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Ashan R. Westcott charged with murder of Nickera Smith

- to appear in Magistrate’s Court on February 20, 2020
February 19th, 2020 | Tags: Ashan R. Westcott murder arrested Nickera Smith RVIPF
Detectives from the Major Crime Investigations Team today, February 19, 2020, charged 29-year-old Ashan Randolph Westcott, left, with the 2016 murder of 22-year-old Nickera Smith, right. Photo: Facebook/Provided
Back in May 2016, Commissioner of Police Michael B. Matthews had said the Nickera Smith murder case was being treated with the highest priority. Photo: VINO/File
Back in May 2016, Commissioner of Police Michael B. Matthews had said the Nickera Smith murder case was being treated with the highest priority. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Four years after the murder of 22-year-old Nickera Smith, whose decomposed body was discovered at Hawkes Nest in March 2016, someone has been charged for the gruesome crime.

Detectives from the Major Crime Investigations Team today, February 19, 2020, charged 29-year-old Ashan Randolph Westcott with the murder.

Westcott is being held in custody and will appear before the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, February 20, 2020.

Smith of Hope Hill, Tortola was reported missing by her family on January 27, 2016. Her body was subsequently discovered at Hawkes Nest on March 30, 2016.

Commissioner of Police, Michael B. Matthews, in a press release this evening, stated: “This has been a protracted investigation following the murder of a young local woman that shocked the BVI community. My investigators never gave up searching for clues, and the many many painstaking hours in this case has led to the point where we are able to place a suspect before the court. My thoughts remain with the family and friends of Nikera Smith and the memory of her short life.”

Back in May 2016, Commissioner Matthews had said the Nickera Smith murder case was being treated with the highest priority.

Previous arrest

Westcott was charged in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) early in 2019 after he was found with a firearm.

He had pleaded guilty before US District Judge Curtis V. Gomez to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

According to the plea agreement, on March 2, 2019 the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) responded to a motorcycle and vehicle accident on Turpentine Run Road in St Thomas.

Westcott, who was injured in the accident, was identified as the driver of the motorcycle.

In response to an EMT’s request to locate the defendant’s ID, a VIPD officer looked in a backpack Westcott had been wearing at the time of the accident.

While looking for the ID, the officer found a loaded Glock Model 23, .40 caliber handgun in Westcott’s backpack.

51 Responses to “Ashan R. Westcott charged with murder of Nickera Smith”

  • great (19/02/2020, 22:33) Like (79) Dislike (3) Reply
    I have the premier had given mr COP Mr Matthew his belongers cause he should stay here for life ..He's the best we ever had..And to all the murderers who think they got away we have news for you .
    • that is why (20/02/2020, 09:07) Like (45) Dislike (1) Reply
      If you know about any other unsolved. You can find a way to contact and meet with Matthews in private. I trust Matthews. He said he was going to solve this case and he did.
      • A lot more (20/02/2020, 16:05) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
        I also trust the Police Comissioner, he said he was going to solve this case and he did. He would be able to solve other cases if people would just contact him in private and let him know what is going on. If I know something, hell, I would set up a meeting with him in a cemetery or somewhere private under the cover of darkness.
    • Oh yeah (20/02/2020, 16:46) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
      Matthews is the best Police Comissioner we had. All you killers can continue to think that you are good. I bet the little princess that was violated in West End case is going to be solved also. Patience and time. To all you crime victims, you will get your justice very soon.
  • Chico.... (19/02/2020, 22:43) Like (7) Dislike (51) Reply
    This can’t be true not my partna, it’s a error.
    • Giant (20/02/2020, 01:13) Like (30) Dislike (4) Reply

      Your partner is a m******* punk loser.

    • st. thomas (20/02/2020, 08:15) Like (21) Dislike (1) Reply
      @Chico.... your partna better be glad they got his punk A** because he was about to be send back to Tola in pieces or end up like the girl he killed and dispose like garbage.
  • g (19/02/2020, 22:57) Like (29) Dislike (1) Reply
    She was sleeping with the enemy and didnt know
  • I say USVI (19/02/2020, 22:58) Like (30) Dislike (4) Reply

    They killed that girl and discard her like she was a piece of garbage. He better be glad he got into a accident down here because he was a marked man down here for doing a lot of mess and stepping on toes.

  • please (19/02/2020, 23:01) Like (41) Dislike (2) Reply
    Put a frontal picture of the savage jungle brute up.
  • Fools soon come out (19/02/2020, 23:05) Like (46) Dislike (1) Reply

    I first found about about this on fb and a special kinda fool was trying to defend...but hey, one criminal must think another one is innocent. Ma$a think we forgot why HE went to prison smh stop trying to find excuses for killers. The police wouldn't charge him if they didnt have sufficient evidence. This is good news, I will pray for justice for the other victims of unsolved murders.

  • hmm (20/02/2020, 00:03) Like (3) Dislike (12) Reply
    James and Matthews look like salt and pepper
  • chico!? (20/02/2020, 01:59) Like (6) Dislike (10) Reply

    chico been my boy from long this seems out of character! &*%$! #RasVille

  • trust (20/02/2020, 07:08) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is great news
  • Boss (20/02/2020, 07:26) Like (32) Dislike (2) Reply
    And you all think that the white boys from Scotland yard here just liming and wasting our money.. criminals think again.
    • @boss (22/02/2020, 04:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Meh son is the local Police doing the job. Scotland Yard my *** ! Give credit where credit is due! I applaud the members of the Crime Division who have been working on this case (I.e. local cops)
  • God dont sleep (20/02/2020, 07:31) Like (21) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thank you lord , & i hope they find out the rest cases for the rest murderss & lock they asses up and throw away the key. Let them rotten in jail & hell
  • Set the gallows up (20/02/2020, 08:06) Like (22) Dislike (2) Reply
    Set up the gallows in the middle of Road Town and I would hang his A** for free. All you other killers who is walking around, it is only a matter of time before the law will be tapping you on
    the shoulder.
  • Never (20/02/2020, 08:38) Like (0) Dislike (27) Reply
    Not Chico , definitely can’t be . Wrong person!
  • Forensics Files (20/02/2020, 09:02) Like (25) Dislike (0) Reply
    To all of you who loved ones was violated, it is hard but, the violators will be bought to justice also. Everything takes time.
  • X Girl (20/02/2020, 09:37) Like (31) Dislike (7) Reply
    Look into his X girl friend - Rachael I am sure she knows a thing or two..... or ALL!
    • Right.. (20/02/2020, 11:40) Like (7) Dislike (8) Reply
      Sounds like you know more than her..... Or ALL! SINCE YOU SO SURE - post your name so they can look into you too.....
    • stfu (20/02/2020, 17:27) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Smh defamation of character....
  • Devilish (20/02/2020, 11:26) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply

    Even the murderer in the movie ghost was tormented by his own demons.

    How could you kill someone for your own selfish needs and burn them like garbage.

    I hope the killer's girlfriend speaks up if she hadn't already on what if anything she knows.

  • nvc (20/02/2020, 11:42) Like (22) Dislike (1) Reply
    BVI - Hanging needs to return...Killing is getting out of control. They killed her, and left her body to rot, who does that? Justice needed.
  • GG (20/02/2020, 11:58) Like (23) Dislike (0) Reply
    Cudos to police on getting somewhere buuuttttt I don’t think this guy did this alone I do think he knows what or who happened and he did have a part to play. I just feel he might not say cause if he gets free they (the ones who did it) will kill him.
  • The TRUTH (20/02/2020, 12:44) Like (20) Dislike (2) Reply
    Too much young sk*nt with no ambition round this place.
    • FEO GOMEZ (20/02/2020, 14:03) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      Their parents giving them everything from scooter to game system etc. Accomplish nothing in life except waking up still breathing but being rewarded.
  • Good afternoon (20/02/2020, 12:56) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
    Where is this man from may I ask
  • Stamp (20/02/2020, 13:26) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    Was such a beautiful, smart and quiet young lady we school together. My eyes filled with tears
  • Des (20/02/2020, 13:35) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is one case I never forgot about, being of similar age, myself. Thank you to the RVIPF! Next up, trial. Let's see what the evidence is like. That is another story. Best commissioner ever, indeed!

    I wonder who is his attorney.
  • bad bad (20/02/2020, 13:53) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    Was robbery the motive, I wonder.
  • FEO GOMEZ (20/02/2020, 14:18) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    Tola girls LOVE losers! just got to be doing nothing all day on a scooter. Aint hustling aint making no paper but they laying down on top you girls. If he don't have ambition or no education or both NO PU C! Females get it together!
    • Agree to a point (20/02/2020, 15:51) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
      Some of the girls in Tortola have pride in themselves and will not give the scrubs AKA loser men the time of day. Now, there is some girls here that can’t even get a chicken dinner from the scrubs AKA loser men they claim is their men. You can usually tell the chicken heads girls.
    • Not one lie told (20/02/2020, 23:26) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      & when you advise them to do better they toot their horns about being independent women and helping to build up men. The only person that can build up a man is himself via his own willpower and ambition. Death, jail, illegitimate children and baby daddy stress is all these low lives they lust over have to offer them, the proof is on Facebook daily with all the long-winded complaints about “my baby daddy ain’t sh*t” But let them carry on....
    • @FEO GOMEZ (21/02/2020, 08:06) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply

      She did not deserve. I remember the a sweeet pretty soft spoken girl. But yet another beauty and brains casualty in the beweeeii. 

  • Good morning Good afternoon (20/02/2020, 17:13) Like (1) Dislike (4) Reply
    He is from the British Virgin Islands
    • Via Hades (20/02/2020, 21:29) Like (5) Dislike (4) Reply
      He is from the Virgin Islands but not of the Virgin Islands, He represents well,the future look of the VI resulting from the spawns of Satan.
    • import (21/02/2020, 09:49) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      His parents are from the upper Caribbean,came to " build up" the VI.
      But u knew or guessed that.
  • Westcott (20/02/2020, 21:17) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
    Westcott is a transplanted entity via Liat flown in to" buildup" the only way they know how in that region.


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