Aug 6, 2007 11:59 pm US/Eastern
Man Arrested In Island Murder Of Bucks Co. Native
by Todd Quinones
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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Virgin Island police said Kamal Thomas of Gifft Hill was taken into custody on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree assault and using a dangerous weapon during the commission of a crime of violence.
CBS
Police have arrested a suspect in connection to the murder of a Bucks County native in the Virgin Islands.
James (Jamie) Cockayne, a 2005 graduate of New Hope Solebury High School, was stabbed to death outside a bar in the Virgin Islands on June 19. Jamie had moved to St. John preparing to work at a Virgin Island yacht club.
Virgin Island police said Kamal Thomas of Gifft Hill was taken into custody on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree assault and using a dangerous weapon during the commission of a crime of violence.
However, Jamie's family still has questions and they have been very critical of the way police have handled the investigation. They said key evidence may have been destroyed and they have hired a private investigator.
The Cockayne family is currently in the Virgin Islands and they said they fear for their own safety.
The family has been vigorously pursuing the case and they wonder why the suspect, who lives on St. John, was not arrested sooner.
"Everybody has had this information down there for six weeks, I felt good about them finally taking some action," the victim's father Bill said.
Jamie's family believes he was killed by two men after some kind of late night altercation outside an Island bar, and that the two men made off in a car, which the family contends they have spotted on the island as late as Saturday.
"We don't understand why other suspects are not brought in, we don't understand why the car hasn't been impounded," Bill wondered.
The Cockayne's said they don't know of any previous connection Thomas had with their son before the murder.
And even though they are frustrated with police, they said calls to boycott the entire Island are not necessary.
"We like the people of St. John, we like the island of St. John," the victim's mother Jeanie said.
Thomas will have a bail hearing later this week, but Jamie's family fears the judge will give him a low bail and fear he will try to flee.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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