I'm Celia Carroll, and this is Virgin Islands Case Files.

It's no secret that there are hundreds of cold case homicides in our small territory.

What you may not know is that in some of these cases, the suspects are known to the police department and even to the victims families.

Yet these suspects are roaming free because more information is needed to get a conviction in the court of law.

In this episode, we would highlight two such cases to get you the community involved.

Our first case marked its 12 year anniversary this month.

It involves a 29 year old man who was shot to death in front of dozens of witnesses outside a St. Croix nightclub in 2011.

Here is the story of Leroy Brooks.

I don't know how he came up with that name Nipples but that's what they gave him Nipples and JaRule.

There's a singer by the name of JaRule I guess that's what they got it from.

Leroy is the second child.

I'm the first.

My name is Ettie Armstrong, I'm the first then there's Leroy Then there's my brother Eljo.

Then there's my sister, Lenay.. We grew up together in Williams Delight Leroy as a brother.

He was a funny guy.

He was like the clown of the family.

You never know when he was serious, when he was joking.

Because everything was just fun.

Leroy just, laughter.

I remember this one particular story where for the parade, my parents would always prepare food for us.

To go to the parade.

Because, you know, back then, stuff was expensive.

It was four of us.

So they would decide to cook at home and take food.

So my mom tried to put us to bed early to get up, to go to the parade the next day so we can get a good spot.

So when we went to bed, Leroy was like saying, I bet I'm going to you know, get dressed before everybody and we'll get you ready before everybody.

And we was like, No, you got to be ready before us.

I know we will say, who's going to be ready first?

Come to find out, Leroy went to sleep with his clothes on for the parade.

So when he got up the next day.

He was already dressed to go to the parade.

And we found that funny.

You know, he didn't make a shower.

He was like, I'm already dressed.

You know?

So I remember that about him.

He used to play baseball for Chewy's with Elmo.

You see his cake as a baseball card.

I say he used to play.

So the cake decoration was baseball.

We went to Claudo Mark O School, and then we went to Evelyn Williams Arthur Richard and then Educational Complex I know Leroy being a former student at the St. Croix Educational Complex, when I taught there years ago, if you were having a bad day, he would be sure to brighten your day.

You know, always talking his way out of things.

Leroy, always turned everything into a joke, so I appreciate that about him.

I think that was unique.

Whenever his siblings or parents were around, if they had to come to school for anything here, I was be hugging them.

He was very affectionate.

He was very loving.

outgoing He always try to just have like a loving relationship.

He was always like the one who, you know, if you had something with someone, he was always try to bring togetherness.

So I would describe him as just loving.

One of the proudest moments for me was when he decided that, you know, he's going to leave St and he wants to travel And when he said he was expecting a child, I was like, whoa, Leroy doing big things, you know, because we know him as somebody who, you know, I was like, to be up about, you know, so to hear that he was having a child was like, wow, that mean He really started to settle down and, you know, just change his lifestyle.

Leroy, as a dad, was loving fun.

You know, he didn't get to spend a lot of time with, you know, his daughter, Emery, because, you know, of the situation Leroy came to visit around Christmastime, December of 20, ten.

So when I saw him, I was like, what are you doing here?

He was like, I come to surprise you all.

I was like, Whoa.

And then I told him that, you know, I would need to speak to him because I told him I was getting married.

I would like to be a part of the wedding.

What's your plan for staying here?

Are you going to be leaving?

He was like, I'm going to be here a while, but and I'm leaving in April.

But he didn't get to make it back to Florida.

At 4:12 A.M. 911 receive a call from the area of the front line nightclub that shot was fired.

The dance had just finished, so everybody was leaving the nightclub to go home.

We definitely had a shootout there, we believe, from multiple shooters.

There were also law enforcement there at the location doing security.

A marshall and a police officer.

So they immediate switched roles from security to police and started to interact with the crowd to see who the perpetrators were.

We had two injured parties.

Mr. Leroy Brooks.

He got shot multiple times in his chest, left arm and abdomen and apparently it look like he was run over by a vehicle.

He was found, they found a vehicle on top of him and the security and other individuals, was there they lift up the vehicle, pull him out.

Realize he was still breathing.

So then they put him in a private vehicle and took him to the Juan Luis Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 4:38 a.m..

I got a phone call from my uncle Sonny Payne, telling me that he heard that Leroy got shot up.

And my first question to his was is he alive?

Is he alive?

And then I think my sister, that my mama, someone called me and said, they're at the hospital.

Leroy you know, got shot up and he's dead.

And I remember just flooring it.

The individual who hit Mr. Brooks with the car, he told officers that he was trying to flee the areas since shots was being fired.

And then he realized that he even hit the man until it was too late.

Doctors, however, said that the injuries that he sustained from the accident was not life threatening.

What actually killed him was the bullet.

And so his death was deemed homicide The other injured party, Mr. Glenford Simon, he was flown against the Western Wall of the Frontline Nightclub.

And then when they moved him, a firearm dropped from his body.

A 357 revolver.

Our ballistic test was done.

The projectiles were removed from Mr. Brooks body, and that was compared to the 357.

And our ballistic expert said it.

It was fired from that gun.

So we have the weapon that fired at 350 that fired at you.

57 rounds into Mr. Brooks.

And that was found on Mr. Simon.

He had a bullet wound in his neck.

So at that time they would they was explaining to us that he could be paralyzed But what we learned later and on down investigation couple of years back, that he was not paralyzed.

He's still walking about in Miami.

They know who did it.

They know where he's at.

So we would a family does want to live.

Justice just put out an arrest warrant go to where he's at in Florida and bring him back to St. Croix Let him serve the time that, you know, he deserves.

The AG's office want a little bit more because they have to overcome the defense.

Who is going to fling plausible explanation for why this happened.

And we don't have the extra that they want based on our evidence.

We know at least three guns was fired.

We don't know what started off the shooting.

I can tell you that Mr. Brooks was an innocent bystander because I do not know.

I do know that he didn't have a firearm on him when he was found by law enforcement under the car.

I do know that he had two projectile in his body that came from the gun that we found.

on Mr. Simon.

So at this point, we're asking the community for their help.

The individuals we need to hear from the ones who are Frontline that evening or early morning, who there when they can shot rang out, who may have heard an argument prior to the shots, who can see at the end when everything was done, where each individual ended up to include all the shooters.

Those are the ones who could bring closure to this family.

Why?

Why did it have to lead to my brother Leroy getting killed.

My brother left a child that she's never going to know her dad.

She was one and a half also, you know, making two.

She's now 13.

Going to be 14.

She didn't get the opportunity like other kids to, you know, be involved in that father and daughter bonding.

It's been a long time now that since 2011 more in 2023.

We just need justice.

We just need peace.

Leroy's family members and loved ones are calling for long awaited justice.

And they need your help.

If you have any information that can help solve the murder of Leroy Brooks, call Crimestoppers right now at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Up next, it's a murder case that is nearly 16 years old, but it remains at a standstill.

Because of reluctant witnesses.

It involves a 26 year old man who was shot to death while riding in a car near the Sunny Isles Shopping Center on Saint Croix.

Here is the story of Abijah Todman.

Abijah was my younger brother.

He was like my best friend.

He was my best friend.

He was just like my twin that I didn't have When we were younger, my mom used to call him Booboo, so I used to tease him and call him Boo Boo Joo.

I don't even know how she came up with that nickname, but that was his nickname.

He would kill me We had a little sibling rivalry when I was growing up because I was only a year older than him, he said.

He figured that he didn't have to listen to me.

It was three of us.

Abdul, Abijah and myself.

The three of us shared a special bond because we lost our mother at a very young age.

And one of the things that she always told us was to make sure that we take care of each other and look out for each other.

Because the three of us is all we have One of the things that we always did and when we go out, we would go out.

We would make sure that we have eyes on each other.

If I'm in the same place with him, he's like, OK, I see you.

I'm going to be over here.

If anything happens, you know where I'm at so we can link up at the end Now, what I did was warm and loving.

He had the most warming smile.

He was care, and he was always would always be willing to lend a helping hand.

If you need help with anything, you can count on him to be there just.

Just to listen.

I was very affectionate.

He would give you the best bear hug ever.

He would always make sure to give me a hug every single day.

He enjoyed spending time with his friends.

He enjoyed karate.

He was very good at it.

He excelled.

He won many of his competitions.

Karate was one of his favorite hobbies.

Next to his graphic art.

My older brother, Abdul had a record label Dub Rise Records.

Abijah was his graphic arts designer for his labels and CD covers and stuff.

He was interested in just being owning his own business and expanding on that and providing that service to the community.

He also was a cable installer.

Which he enjoyed doing that.

And I think at one point he told me that he would like to do that for himself.

Abijah had four children, two girls and two boys, Abijah was very fond of his chil He adored just being a dad.

You would see him spending time with them every single moment he had.

We would like spend a lot of time together.

I used to jump on his bed sometimes, and then one day I was jumping on his bed and he just jumped on it with me.

And, like, that was like really fun.

He would come and get me and my brother and we would like, spend time together, go out places, go everywhere.

And I could really feel the love that he had for me.

He used to show me around to everybody and, like, bragging, like, Oh, look, here's my daughter, here's my daughter, and just show everybody me because he was so happy to have me.

I just thought, that's really nice as well.

He actually took pride in being a part of their lives and making sure that his presenc In 2007, I was actually called up to serve in Iraq for Iraqi operation.

Iraqi Freedom.

When I found out that I was being deployed, he is devastated.

His whole life like seemed to change.

He was like, once you leave, he said, I'm coming to the airport to see you.

He said, But I'll be here when you come back.

In August of 2007, I was up in Iraq.

I received an email from Abijah telling me, Hey, this so I wanted to talk to you.

Give me a call or send me the number from your computer so that I can call you.

So I replied and I said, OK, I will.

And I kind of forgot.

A few hours later, I made a phone call home and I realized like, Hey, what am I doing?

Like, nobody is up So I hung up the phone and like literally 5 minutes later, my aunt called back the phone and she said, I need to talk to your commander.

I said, Everything OK.

So I come in the office and they take my weapon from me, the commander told me what happened.

And at that moment, I I had like no emotions that I could explain.

On the 18 of August of 2007, Abijah Todman was out with two friends.

And when there were approaching the Sunny Isle area, somebody opened fire on their car and Abijah got shot in the head and was transported to the hospital by the driver of the vehicle.

At about 10:46, 911 received notification of a man down at the Juan Luis Hospital.

He was transported there so the hospital have to call and notify us that they have a gunshot victim at the hospital.

So we responded there.

And when we got there, we learned from the driver that some unknown vehicle opened fire.

And then there was a crime scene across the street at Gas for Less, So we traveled there and then started to secure the casings that was on the ground there at the gas station.

The driver told police that he picked Abijah up from his home about 8:00 and that they went to a basketball game.

And because a relative was playing and they went to witness the game, and on the way back to drop.

They went a couple other places looking for some places to hang out and those places wasn't popping.

So he said when he was going towards Gas for Less to buy a Block a mild cigar, he noticed that he was being followed.

So he turned into Diamond Crest Mall, I believe that's the name of it.

And instead of turning to the gas station, he went around the back to see the vehicle was following him.

And when he came around, he said he stopped in the roadway, but we believe he stopped in the parking lot for Sunny Isles where the young man sells the coconut.

And then there is maybe some other people selling different wares from that vantage point.

That's where they were firing at each other.

I said to each other because we found.

a spent casing at least two spent casing on the opposite side and over where the main hail of bullets came from.

We found the bulk of the spent casings, and that was in the parking lot for the service station by the first pump.

The driver claims that the individual never came out the car he saw the window go down and then shots started to fire.

The people who are at the gas station said that they saw two individual exit the vehicle and stood up and started firing.

And then when they heard the shots, they took off running for cover People who are across the street said the same thing and they identify the, the shooters.

What we got was Anthony Paul and Edward Nelson as the individuals who fired the shots that killed a Abijah.

I think the driver was the source of animosity.

Apparently there was bad blood between the driver of the vehicle and Nelson and Paul, but more so Nelson.

Because of August the 12 2007, Nelson's house was shot up The driver apparently was part of that whole melee at Edward Nelson's home.

So August 18th they spot them so lets get revenge retaliation.

They're not identifying who is in the car.

They just know that this is who I need to get at cause they shoot up my house.

Abijah was with the wrong person There were three individuals in the vehicle, Abijah, the driver and a minor.

Abijah was sitting in the rear passenger seat directly behind the driver.

No one else in the vehicle was injured.

Only Abijah received the one gunshot wound to the head.

The minor came out and he ran to Sion Farm to notify Abijah's girlfriend that he was shot while the driver proceed to the Juan Luis Hospital to get him medical care.

on the night when this thing happened, the driver who was an adult, he was initially interviewed.

We spent a few hours well with him in this building.

Talking about what is happening, asking him to tell us what he knew, but he wouldn't budge.

I ain't going to court.

I ain't testifying in nothing.

I ain't there.

And that nobody will call me a rat.

That mindset does to me for a loop because I couldn't understand how you go to somebody's home, take them out the house, carry them, drive up and down the place on St. Croix with them.

They get shot in your car and then you don't want to be involved.

You involved.

This is a result of your actions.

You are involved.

But he refused to this day to say what he knew.

The minor was picked up, interviewed as well, and wouldn't say we had witnesses who saw everything Individuals who across the street they know and saw, knew who they were.

That's how we got the official names.

But they said they didn't want to get involved.

Nobody wanted to go forward with a trial and give an official statement and they would say, if his friends tell you, then we will support it.

And the friends wasn't saying anything.

It's painful to see that we are this close, and can't get closur I know who did it.

I even probably know why they did it.

But that's not sufficient.

According to our attorney general's office, for them to move forward, they need somebody to come in court and point the finger I say this.

The man I see, he told me this.

And that utterance will be admissible in court for a trial that is usable to us to get closure to the family.

2007 Abijah was killed.

I spoke to his sister last week and she was still in tears.

She's still missing her brother.

He was her world.

And when Abijah was killed, a part of her died.

Over these sixteen years, this has taken a great toll on me, as Abijah and I were very, very close How I coped with this situation to a point was by keeping his memories alive.

One of our by just children I adopted him.

He has been with our family from the age of three, and I tried to keep his memories alive by sharing all the stories and all the things that I see in him that he exemplifies that I tell him about his father, and I talk about him as though he is still here.

His other kids shared with me that they don't understand what happened.

It gets hard sometimes when you just miss them, you know?

And it's like, I don't have like a whole bunch of memories, but like, I could feel how much that he loved me and cared about me, you know?

And it's like the little things you kind of wish they were there for.

Like, my graduation is a picture of me in my cap and gown.

And then I'm holding up a sign that says I did it, daddy.

And then, like, my father's picture is in the in the corner, looking down on me because it's like, yeah, he's there, and he's always here, and he's always looking out for everyone.

It's just so emotional because all of the things that they have accomplished to this point, he's not here to see or share with them.

I was recently on the Dean's List at the University of the Virgin Islands, and they had a ceremony about that, and I got a certificate.

I had a four point O GPA in my freshman year, which is very exciting as well.

I think he would be very proud of me.

I think he'd be running around telling everybody how all the things that I've done, like all my other siblings as well, he just was very happy to have us and excited to see what we can do.

This right here are some of the words that depict what we think about each other, that what we think, what Abijah was like.

He was ambitious.

He was benevolent, intelligent, jovial, artistic.

And huggable.

If you ever have a moment where you feel down one of his hugs would just brighten your day after his bear hugs, as we so affectionately call it.

Your day would be a little better.

I think.

Too many years has passed with no answers.

We have half of the answers or more than half of the answers, but still no justice.

So I would like justice for his children and my entire family and Abijah's kids We would like to have closure on this and to get justice.

If you have any information about the murders of Abijah Todman or Leroy Brooks or if you have information about another case, please call Crimestoppers right now at 1-800-222-tips.

You can remain anonymous and you may be eligible for cash reward.

Let us work together to get killers off our streets.

Let us break the silence and build a safer community.

I'm Celia Carroll.

And as always, thank you for watching.