That isn't nearly enough for basically murdering two people (yes, Nathan didn't die, but Lettsome thought he'd killed him and then set the house on fire to cover it up)....he should have gotten two life sentences without the possibility of parole.

And he should have been convicted of first degree murder for David's death...he killed him as he laid in bed, so it sounds pretty premeditated to me.

Gaaah!

I just read the rest of the article...it says this:

"The pictures of that crime were the most horrible I have seen in all my career," Hollar said. "I wouldn't allow the jury to see all of them."

WHY NOT!? The jury should have seen all of the pictures....especially the most gruesome ones. They should have been shown the entirety of the heinous crime, not an edited version...maybe he would have been found guilty of 1st degree murder if the jury knew the whole truth. This really ticks me off.

Roscoe,

I agree with you that the sentence should have been more severe...but not for the same reasons. First degree is very specific and I believe the premeditation was in question.

What I am lost on is what happened to the attempted murder charge and sentence for Nathan's beating (??) and why this suspended 10 years because Lettsome told someone about the fire. I didn't read that in the press. Did he accidentally run into someone while fleeing and tell them about the fire, or did he go banging on doors about it?

I believe he was due the full 20 for the arson, especially since it was to cover up what he intended to be a double homicide.

Very tragic....the part about Nathan testifying that he misses the food there and the judge realizing that Nathan was born there was especially sad.

I think that David's murder was premeditated because David was killed in his bed. It wasn't as if Lettsome was stealing something and David caught him and Lettsome left him for dead on the kitchen floor. The poor man was sleeping in bed.

State laws do vary on the definition of "premeditation" (I'm not sure how it's defined in the VIs)....in some states, premeditation can be construed as happening just seconds before the murder occurs.

That said, even if it wasn't 1st degree murder by VI law, he STILL should have gotten a harsher sentence.

I found the following from another VI court case...the definition of 1st Degree Murder/Premeditated Murder:

>>>Virgin Islands law defines murder as "the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought." V.I. Code Ann. tit. 14, § 921 (1964). First degree murder is

All murder which--

(1) is perpetrated by means of poison, lying in wait, torture or by any other kind of willful, deliberate and premeditated killing; or

(2) is committed in the perpetration or attempt to perpetrate arson, burglary, kidnapping, rape, robbery or mayhem . . . .

Id. § 922(a). Second degree murder is "All other kinds of murder." Id. § 922(b) (1964). Voluntary manslaughter is the "unlawful killing of a human being without malice aforethought . . . upon a sudden quarrel or heat of passion." Id. § 924 (1964). <<<<

Lettsome was perpetrating a robbery....with that definition, I don't know how in the world he wasn't convicted of 1st degree murder.

The whole story is tragic. I read the article on the plane ride home yesterday (booo hoooo) and I really feel for Nathan. I can't imagine the pain he is suffering. 🙁

I also wonder about the others involved - why were they not charged? I probably don't have all the information.

Let's hope that Lettsome serves each and every day of his sentence.

Jen

Does anyone reading this think it makes sense to tell a young teenage girl that there was Fifty Thousand Dollars in a cabinet and to keep an eye on it while he goes to a wedding on the mainland. What was this guy thinking? Why would anyone in their right mind not have this amount of money safeguarded in a bank. It just does not make sense. Was he trying to hide the money from someone?? Perhaps the IRS?? Perhaps he was somehow involved in drugs and felt he did'nt have the option of utilizing a bank. How many people have you met in your lifetime that keep 50K in a cabinet and then tell someone about it?? A big zero on this end. This Lettsome guy deserves what he has coming (57 1/2 yrs) but this crime would have never been committed if a guy who was described as a "painter and sailing enthusiast" used a little more forethought in his actions. I lived there, the place is a jungle of uncontrollable crime. God Bless VIPD Fallen Officer Stephen Hodge who's murder was set up by his co-workers within the VIPD. By the way, VIPD Traffic Officer (St. Thomas) is a RACIST!!!!!!! She fits right in with what is going on down there in the Virgin Islands

hoarding money for whatever reason one might, did not deserve the death penalty. Last time I checked you're allowed to keep money between a mattress or even in a shoe box.

I don't know why he kept the money where he did, but for whatever reason he didn't deserve to be murdered.

Can't imagine what would motivate you to try to smear the reputation of a murder victim. All that's known is that he kept cash in his house. You're linking him to drug trafficking based upon what? Your own fevered imagination. What you're doing is starting rumors and posting hurtful garbage on a public forum. Might want to be more responsible and show some respect for the victims and their family. Sure we all have the right to our own opinions, but sometimes the right thing to do is to keep our opinions to ourselves. That would be the decent thing to do now.

50K - get real - the guy was write in what he typed. Wake up!!

who has a title of STT Barker would question anyone who had a couple of hundred dollars stashed away in their home.

"a couple of hundred dollars?" You need to add 49,800 to your total.

I'm confused, either you didn't understand my post or I'm not getting yours.