UPDATED: Former murder accused Yan Edwards killed

By MERRICK ANDREWS
Online News Editor

A former murder accused has been identified as the victim of Monday’s fatal shooting at a bar in Parham Town, East End on Tortola, according to reliable sources.

Though the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force have not officially identified the victim, JTV News have received confirmation from sources, including a relative of the deceased, Yan Edwards, that he was shot dead Monday evening, after 6 p.m.

Edwards and Allen Baptiste were both sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2013 for the death of Keri Harrigan, who was shot to death in Long Look on March 16, 2011.

However, in 2018, Court of Appeal judges threw out the convictions of both men and ordered a retrial.

Edwards is no stranger to the law.

In fact, it was on December 2, 2013 that Edwards along with Rodney Simmonds Jr. were sentenced to seven years and five years, respectively, after they had been found guilty of conspiring to murder Cornel Melbourne Francis.

At the time, Edwards was serving the life sentence for Harrigan’s murder – a conviction which was eventually squashed.

Edwards reportedly was released on bail last year after trying many times to obtain freedom.

Videos and photos of Edwards’ body, lying in a pool of blood in front the bar, have been circulating on social media.

He was reportedly shot multiple times after a vehicle pulled up at the popular bar.