A 51-year-old man was taken into custody Thursday on St. John following allegations he intimidated witnesses scheduled to testify at his trial set for October 13, the V.I. Department of Justice said Friday.
Rupert Walters was apprehended in Susanaberg by DOJ Special Agent Kenneth Arthur, working alongside Special Investigations Division Director Homer "Jerry" Inniss, officers from the V.I. Police Department's Special Response Team and personnel from the V.I. Waste Management Authority.
During a pat-down search, law enforcement recovered a green-and-black brass knuckles knife from Walters's front right pocket. His existing pretrial conditions banned him from possessing any dangerous weapon, according to DOJ.
Walters was transported to the Red Hook Ferry Terminal, then processed at the Richard Callwood Command before being held at the Bureau of Corrections. He awaits an advice-of-rights hearing in Superior Court. The Department of Justice did not disclose specific charges from this arrest, details of the alleged intimidation or a bail figure.
Walters was convicted in 2021 following a stabbing that paralyzed the victim. After his release, he was arrested again in 2025 on suspicion of another stabbing and faced charges including assault, use of a dangerous weapon and reckless endangerment. The charges he faces at trial on October 13 were not detailed in the announcement.
Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea emphasised the department's commitment to witness protection. "We want victims and witnesses to feel safe and comfortable throughout the investigation and prosecution process," Rhea stated. He said the Special Investigations Division works to stop witness intimidation that could prevent people from testifying in court, and that such interference would be handled through proper legal channels.
Rhea also noted that while apprehending Walters, Arthur and Inniss assisted the V.I. Police Department in locating a person of interest in a separate investigation, highlighting cooperation between law enforcement agencies.
Walters is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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