Richardson Dangleben Jr. will now be tried for the first-degree murder of a [US] Virgin Islands police officer while engaged in their official duties, as well as possession of a firearm with a removed, obliterated, or altered serial number. Photo: VIPD

On Friday, July 7, 2023, the lone suspect in the murder of [US] VIPD Detective Delberth Phipps was formally charged in federal court. Photo: VIPD

Several factors could result in a case being moved from local to federal authorities, including the nature of the crime, type of weapons used, requests for assistance, and violations of federal law, among others.

The shocking incident unfolded on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, when police were called to the area of Hospital Ground known as Jah Yard, where a man was reportedly seen walking around with a rifle. Responding officers were met by Mr Dangleben, who was wearing body armor and had reportedly stockpiled over 100 rounds of ammunition. In the ensuing firefight, both he and Detective Phipps were hit and injured. Det. Phipps succumbed to his wounds, while Dangleben, who was also receiving treatment at Schneider Regional Medical CEnter following the incident, recovered enough to be discharged from the hospital on Friday, resulting in his immediate arrest and subsequent appearance in court.

Public outrage

Public outrage about the homicide of Det. Phipps was only intensified by the news that Dangleben, at the time of the shooting, was out on pre-trial release after having been charged with shooting death of 68-year-old Keith Jennings in late February. 

Mr Dangleben claims that he shot Jennings in self-defense after the latter approached him with a rock in his hands and hurling threats, but witnesses say they heard no verbal altercation — just the gunshot. After his arrest, Richard Dangleben’s parents were approved as third-party custodians and he was assessed bail in the form of a fully-secured $250,000 bond. That bond was later reduced to $80,000, or property worth at least $160,000 by Judge Paula Norkaitis in response to a motion by defense attorneys, over the objections of prosecutors. Although at the time of his arrest in February, Dangleben was a licensed firearm owner, part of his bail conditions, included being barred – at least temporarily – from possessing firearms and ammunition.

Now that bond could be forfeited, a motion to revoke bail was filed on July 5 by prosecutors. “There is no doubt that the defendant is a true danger to the community,” the motion read. “The defendant cannot and has not abided by his bail conditions.”

No action has been taken in the Superior Court regarding this motion, but Dangleben remains in custody following his appearance in federal court on Friday. Details in this new matter have been sealed by the court, however, Richardson Dangleben Jr. is next scheduled to appear in court on July 17, 2023.