Kaden Christian Durand, 21, now faces 10 criminal charges in St. Thomas Superior Court, including first-degree murder, armed robbery and conspiracy. The charges stem from the June 16 shooting death of 23-year-old Asani Henry outside the Bethlehem Shelter in Hospital Ground.
Durand is due to appear before Magistrate Judge Julie Smith Todman on Friday, October 23 at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom MG-3 for arraignment. He remains jailed at the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility at Golden Grove under a $1 million cash bail on an unrelated 17-count murder case from St. Croix.
According to a 12-page probable cause affidavit filed by VIPD Homicide Detective Shenika Simon, Durand travelled from St. Croix to St. Thomas on June 13 aboard Fly The Whale flight 220140. Airport surveillance at Cyril E. King captured his arrival. Video from the crime scene area later showed him and co-conspirator Jah'Sheem Graham together on the day of the killing.
At roughly 3:35 p.m., Henry drove his silver Acura ILX into the western parking lot of the shelter. Graham then approached the driver's window, claiming he wanted to sell Henry a gold chain. Durand appeared moments later, forcing his upper body through the open window as Graham ran toward nearby housing.
Security footage and eyewitness accounts document a violent struggle between Henry and Durand in the parking lot. During the fight, Henry succeeded in removing the ammunition magazine from Durand's black handgun. Durand regained control, reloaded the weapon and fired multiple rounds into Henry's chest at close range. Seven spent 9mm shell casings lay at the scene.
Durand then robbed the vehicle, taking cash and jewelry, before walking toward the H.H. Berg Homes area.
Graham initially told investigators that an unknown gunman with a heavy Crucian accent had threatened him. Phone records undermined that account. Cell data connected Durand's number (340-208-3550, registered with his St. Croix probation officer) and Graham's number (407-759-8678) to multiple calls both before and shortly after Henry's death.
Both men face mandatory life imprisonment under territorial law.
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