Former co-defendant Peets is witness for prosecution in Mandahl murder-rape trial

ST. THOMAS - The former co-defendant in the Mandahl murder and rape trial testified against Jensen Alexander in V.I. Superior Court on Tuesday.

He recalled a night of drunken friendship and flaring disputes that began early the preceding afternoon at Drake's Seat.

Police arrested Katanio "Kay Kay" Peets, then 36, of Estate Tutu and Jensen Alexander, then 29, of Estate Mariendal hours after the murder was reported in the pre-dawn darkness of Oct. 14, 2009.

When detectives arrived at the beach that morning, they found Dennis Richardson, 51, on his back already stiff to the touch.

Alexander is charged with first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree aggravated rape, two counts of first-degree assault and one count of carrying or using a dangerous weapon.

Peets pleaded guilty last year to one charge of accessory to first-degree murder after the fact.

Clean-shaved and stocky, Peets walked briskly into the courtroom without looking toward Alexander at the defense table.

Peets' account Tuesday sometimes was contradictory and brought out new information in a case that was rescheduled seven times.

Describing the series of events left Peets, at times, fidgeting, reaching for napkins to wipe his hands, which he clenched, exhaling loudly.

Peets said he was at Drake's Seat the day before the murder with his informal business of letting tourists take pictures of his pet tortoises.

That morning, Alexander, whom Peets had known for about a year, drove up to Drake's Seat in his red Kia sedan, Peets testified.

Dennis Richardson, whom Peets knew as an acquaintance, drove up with a woman in his truck about 3 p.m., Peets testified

The group was there drinking Schaefer Beer when Richardson and the woman invited Alexander and Peets to hang out at Mandahl Bay beach, Peets said.

"We went straight to buy a case of Coors Light," Peets said.

No one was at Mandahl Bay beach when the group got there, he said.

While at the beach, Alexander and Richardson's female friend walked along the salt pond together by themselves, Peets said.

Peets left the beach to take his tortoises home and he returned to the beach about 7 p.m., he testified.

"When I came back, I noticed something was wrong," Peets said.

Richardson was angry with Alexander, who was flirting with Richardson's female acquaintance, Peets testified. "I said 'What's up with that? He said Dennis Richardson broke his windshield," Peets said.

Peets advised that they call the police, who arrived and told Peets and Alexander to go home, he testified.

Peets went home, and Alexander called later that night saying he had left a cell phone at the beach, where Richardson and his female friend slept in the tent, Peets testified.

"Jensen was getting in a rage, saying 'Somebody is going to pay,'" Peets said.

When Alexander and Peets returned to the beach, Richardson left the tent and the woman followed, Peets said.

Alexander reached for a steak knife in his pocket, Peets testified. Alexander left the car and chased after the woman and, when Richardson grabbed him, Alexander threatened to kill him, Peets said.

"Jensen pulled her out by her hair," Peets said.

At some point, Alexander was on top of the woman and began using the knife to cut off her green bikini bottom, Peets testified.

Peets recalled kneeling over Richardson to stop him from attacking Alexander.

According to Peets, he walked away from the fighting and went to Alexander's car to try to leave.

Minutes later, the scene became quiet, Peets said. "I started calling out Dennis, Jensen," Peets testified. "I think I urged him, 'Let's go.'"

Peets' also recalled leaving the scene in Alexander's car and returning after going home to tell his mother that his friend had killed someone.

Peets testified that he returned to the paved road that ends at the dirt path to Mandahl Bay beach and honked the horn for Alexander.

"He appeared with no shirt on and boxers," Peets said. "He was full of blood, his body, his chest.

Peets said he could see the woman's "shadow, darting, naked.

"I said, 'Please, carry me home,'" Peets said. "Jensen was telling me he didn't realize he was stabbing him that hard."

Jensen handed him the knife and Peets threw it out of the car, Peets said. A serrated knife was found at the scene.

While driving up the only road to Mandahl Bay beach, Peets said Alexander described consensual sex between him and Richardson's friend.

"He was telling me she had liked the sex, and there was a dead man on the beach," Peets said.

When defense attorney Judith Bourne asked Peets to specify times when the group left for Mandahl the day before, Peets said he had no cell phone on him.

Bourne asked if throughout the night Richardson's friend had flirted with her client or had sat on Alexander's lap.

"Yes," Peets said.

Bourne's inquiry revealed Alexander had swum with the woman he is accused of raping.

He also said that when he last saw Alexander with the woman, Alexander was fully clothed in pants and a shirt.

Evidence shown in court Tuesday included a bikini bottom sliced open and a pair of striped boxer shorts with a bloody smudge near the waistband.

Assistant attorneys general Sigrid Sprotte and Charles Willoughby are prosecuting the case.

The prosecution's case is scheduled to resume today.

Sign up for Text Alerts

Sign up for e-mail newsletters