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UPDATE: Kavarne Richards remanded for Cornel M. Francis’ murder
He is to return to court on December 12, 2014 when the matter is to continue.
Richards is being represented by Attorney at Law Stephen R. Daniels.
See previous story published on October 10, 2014:
UPDATE: Kavarne Richards, Andraes Norford arrested - Police
- for May 2013 murder of Cornel Melbourne Francis
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force confirmed in a press release today October 10, 2014 that two men Kavarne Richards, 28 and Andraes Norford, 23, were arrested in relation of the murder of Cornel Melbourne Francis which occurred on May 9, 2013 at Long Look Sticket.
Police in a release said that Norford is being held in custody by the St. Kitts authorities subject to extradition proceedings for his return to Virgin Islands to also face murder charges.
Both arrests were as a result of ongoing investigations by detectives of the Major Crime Team. Kavarne Richards is the brother of Yan Edwards who along with Rodney Simmonds Jr. faced trial for conspiring to murder Francis back in 2011.
According to the release, Commissioner of Police David Morris made note of the promise he made at the beginning of 2014 to continue reviewing the outstanding unsolved murders within the Territory and bring the offenders to justice.
“Working closely with the Director of Public Prosecutions we are arresting, charging and prosecuting those individuals who brazenly carry out these vicious murders within the Territory with no thought for either the victim or their families. These two recent arrests bring the total to six persons who are facing charges for murder and one for manslaughter in 2014 alone," he said.
"Murder investigations are complex requiring dedication and tenacity however we will continue to investigate all our outstanding murders and if necessary go beyond the borders of the BVI to bring the offenders back for trial,” said the Commissioner in the release.
See previous story published on October 10, 2013:
UPDATE: Ammo for test fires not in RVIPF books – High Court hears
- Detective Inspector Nigel Niven claimed to have collected the ammo from USVIPD with no paper trail
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Attorney at Law Steven R. Daniels was his usual self in the High Court of the Virgin Islands yesterday afternoon October 10, 2013 when he grilled Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) Detective Inspector Nigel Niven during the trial for Yan Edwards and Rodney Simmonds Jr.
Mr Daniels was able to bring out some interesting information regarding ammunition used as part of the investigation in the conspiracy to murder case currently before the courts.
Detective Inspector Niven of the Major Crime Team of the RVIPF was the fourth person called to the witness box by the Crown yesterday.
The Crown is being represented by Senior Crown Counsels Valston Graham and Leslie Ann Faulkner.
Attorney at Law Mr Stephen R. Daniels, who is representing Mr Edwards, was startled by the responses he had received from Niven during cross examination. Daniels sought answers as to instructions given to an officer of the RVIPF for the use of a particular firearm, the source of six live rounds of ammunition used in the firearm, the source of the ammunition, and records of same.
Responding to the questions posed by the attorney Niven said the RVIPF does not have the specified arms or ammunition. He told the court that under such conditions assistance is usually requested from the United States Virgin Islands Police Department (USVIPD). In the related case, the USVIPD allegedly had volunteered to provide the RVIPF with six live rounds of 7.62 ammunition.
What was seen as troubling to the attorney was the fact that Niven said he had personally traveled to the USVI where he collected the ammunition from the USVIPD and did not find it necessary to leave any paper trail.
Niven further told the court he did not have any documents, not from the USVIPD, not with Customs, not in the books of the RVIPF, neither in any statement as it relates to the case before the High Court.
The court was told that the firearm and ammunition, which according to Niven, Officers of the RVIPF are not trained to use, was used to conduct test fires as part of a forensic investigation to match those allegedly used in the alleged shooting incident on March 13, 2011.
The trial continues today October 11, 2013 in the High Court of the Virgin Islands.
See previous story posted October 10, 2013
Edwards was angry for failing to execute Melbourne Francis - Court hears
-Conspiracy to murder trial of Yan Edwards & Rodney Simmonds Jr begins in High Court today, Oct. 10, 2013
The trial for Rodney Simmonds Jr and Yan Edwards, who are accused of conspiring to murder Melbourne Francis on March 13, 2011 began in the High Court of the Virgin Islands today October 10, 2013.
Senior Crown Counsels Mr Valston Graham and Ms Leslie Ann Faulkner are appearing on behalf of the crown in the trial being heard by Justice Vicki Ann Ellis.
Simmonds Jr and Edwards have pleaded not guilty to the charge of conspiracy to murder and while their trial is being done simultaneously, Graham said the cases are to be considered separately.
The Crown intends to rely mainly on the evidence of two witnesses who were allegedly part and parcel of the conspiracy to commit murder. One of the witnesses was allegedly the custodian of the firearm used to shoot at Francis.
The court heard that on March 13, 2011 while Edwards was at a location in East End, Tortola, he had called one of the witnesses and told him to contact Simmonds and the plot to murder Francis was allegedly decided upon.
On the day in question, it was alleged, Francis was driving motor car PT 43 in the vicinity of Nottingham Estate public road when he was allegedly shot at by Edwards who was in another motor vehicle.
Francis allegedly put up his hand and suffered an injury to one of his fingers from the shots fired at him. He reportedly drove to the East End Police Station where he reported the matter.
Edwards was allegedly upset at the fact that he was not successful in his attempt to murder Francis, the court was told.
One of the witnesses, who has not been charged in the matter, had allegedly hid the firearm at his grandfather’s residence following the incident and had failed to properly carry out the instructions of Edwards to dispose of the items used during the incident. Clothes and a pair of gloves believed to be used in the attempt to murder Francis were recovered by ranks of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF).
The firearm was also recovered.
One of the police witnesses in the matter recalled visiting the scene at Nottingham Estate Public Road on Monday March 14, 2011 where he did a forensic examination and allegedly discovered a round of ammunition and spent shells.
He also told the court that when he went to the East End Police Station, he observed what appeared to have been bullet holes on the vehicle driven by Francis. The Motor Car PT 43 was collected by the witness and transported to the Road Town Police Station, the court heard.
Rodney Simmonds Jr is being represented by J.S. Archibald and Co. while Yan Edwards is being represented by Attorney at Law Stephen Daniels.
The trial for Simmonds Jr and Edwards is expected to last approximately seven days.
Rodney Simmonds Jr has been incarcerated for two and a half years awaiting trial while Edwards is currently serving a life without parole sentence.
Meanwhile, Melbourne Francis aka Trouble was shot and killed at The Stickett in Long Look on May 9, 2013.
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44 Responses to “UPDATE: Kavarne Richards remanded for Cornel M. Francis’ murder”
how this man get caught up in this mess...
He and God knows the Truth
We also imported illiteracy prostitution,huge rats,dengue and chikinunga.
The next damning step will be independence.
The answer to your question is a very short one. " DRUGS , MONEY and GREED" . When God done with this little B.V.I , I don't think there will be anyone left to wonder why or what the sh!t really happened here.
All the tv he's watch n the fool 4 got 2 watch the investigative channel. He would of seen that's one way 2 catch stupid fools like him.
Ur computer is a id tag!!! Lmao
that faggit name lil ro* need to stay up there..... yan need to turn on he and beat sense out of he...... but then again.... yan dont have much sense either
If u r found guilty can u handle the fact that u will b spend n the rest of ur life n prison?
That's the cold hard facts now deal with it!!!
Edwards and Richards. Cut from the same cloth. . Damn the day when capital punishment was removed from the books.