PHILIPSBURG--Three murders, two violent robberies and one rape committed by the "gypsy taxi bandits" between February 26 and March 4 have been solved thanks to cooperation between local police, the Prosecutor's Office, the Police Forces of Aruba, Bonaire, Cura�ao, the Kingdom Cooperation Team RST, Royal Marechaussees, and Gendarmes stationed on the French side.
The solved crimes include the death of megayacht Cheetah Moon French chef Ludovic Guillevin (37), who was found on Mullet Bay Beach on February 26, and the March 4 killings of F. Louis, who was found on Chopin Road, and E. Nova Valdez, who was found on Alexis Arnell Road.
In custody are three men born in Dominica: S.R. (20), C.A.R. (31) and J.B.S. (28). They were arrested on Thursday, April 7, and were considered at the time to be the main suspects of two violent robberies and a rape. Two other people also were arrested, but were released later for lack of evidence.
The suspects pretended to be operating a gypsy taxi to pick up potential victims. If the victims did not want to get in the car, they were sometimes forced to do so. They were ill-treated in the car and taken to a deserted place to be robbed and sometimes raped or killed.
The three men from Dominica who are in custody are said to have confessed to the crimes after questioning by Detectives. The Prosecutor's Office and the police investigation team concluded that the confessions had "enough corroboration" based on the statements of the co-suspects and on the findings at the various crime scenes. The Prosecutor's Office is therefore confident that the violent fatal crimes at Mullet Bay, Cay Hill and Cake House Road are solved.
The three suspects appeared before the investigating judge on Monday and had their detention prolonged for eight more days. They are still under full restrictions and are allowed to talk only to their attorney.
The ongoing "Regatta Investigation" had turned up similarities between the homicides and the crimes for which the men already had been arrested. It was therefore assumed by authorities in one of the possible scenarios that the cases were "interrelated and could very well have been committed by the same suspect or suspects," Chief Prosecutor Hans Mos announced during a press conference on Monday. This link was made by Senior Detectives of the Special Robbery Unit.
As rape and violent crimes were involved, the three suspects were subjected to DNA tests to which they gave consent. Further, a black SUV used by one of the suspects was impounded because it matched the vehicle described in the rape case. The car was examined by the Forensics Department and evidence was retrieved. Items seized in several house searches also will be examined by the Forensics Department.
The "Regatta Investigation" team had focused on police reports of two violent robberies and a rape. Although stolen goods were tracked down, the detectives did not know the identity of the suspects. Police were able to establish the identities and whereabouts of the three suspects and arrest them on April 7.
According to Mos, the investigation so far indicates that suspects S.R. and C.A.R. were actively involved in the violent robberies, the rape and the homicides, while a third suspect J.B.S. fenced goods taken during the robberies and knew that the other suspects had committed these crimes.
Investigation of the different roles of the suspects is still ongoing.
Police Chief Commissioner Peter de Witte said authorities had reason to believe the "gypsy taxi bandits" were responsible for more violent crimes than those to which they had already confessed. He called on anyone who had been a victim of a violent robbery or rape and had not yet filed a complaint with the police to do so.
During the press conference, Mos held up a picture of an earring of an unknown woman found in the impounded SUV and urged the owner to go to police to give her account of what had happened to help in the investigation.
Police are also calling on persons who may have information that may assist the investigation to share it. Individuals can call telephone numbers 542-2222 or 542-2721.
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