3 men charged in Velvet Haze nightclub shooting that killed Estate Hope resident

CHRISTIANSTED — Two St. Croix men were each charged with the murder of an Estate Hope man at a Christiansted town nightclub in July. A third suspect faces an illegal gun charge.

Jared Dover, 22, and Jamar Ayala, 19, were each arrested and charged with first-degree murder, the Virgin Islands Police Department said. Kaden Durand, who was also shot that night, was only charged with the illegal possession of a firearm at this time, according to the VIPD. The case began at 12:27 a.m. on July 27, 2024, when 911 dispatchers sent officers to investigate a discharging of shots that occurred in Christiansted Town near the Velvet Haze Lounge, police said.

It was later relayed over the police radio that 911 received reports of multiple gunshot victims at that location, according to police. When detectives responded to the scene, they learned that one of the victims had already succumbed to his injuries, police said. “Investigation into this homicide revealed that Jamar Ayala, Jared Dover, and Kaden Durand shot multiple victims on July 27, 2024, and during their reckless act, they killed Michael Jermaine “Pappy” Edwards Jr., 25, of Estate Hope,” VIPD Communications Director Glen Dratte said.