In the heart of St. Thomas, a quiet Friday morning at the Galleon House guesthouse was shattered by a grim discovery that has left the U.S. Virgin Islands reeling. At 11:48 a.m., a 911 call summoned police to the downtown establishment, where they found 42-year-old Maireni Heredia Tiburcio, a Dominican woman and daughter of Sabana Grande de Boyá’s vice mayor, lying unresponsive with a gunshot wound to her upper body. Despite the swift response of emergency medical technicians, Tiburcio was pronounced dead at 12:26 p.m., marking the island’s 11th homicide of 2025 and the territory’s 22nd.
The investigation quickly took a chilling turn as authorities identified the suspected shooter: 54-year-old Tizoni A. Mahoney, Tiburcio’s estranged husband. Mahoney was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, now awaiting his advice of rights hearing. The Virgin Islands Police Department has remained tight-lipped about the circumstances leading to the fatal confrontation, leaving the community to grapple with unanswered questions about what unfolded inside the guesthouse.
Tiburcio’s death has sent shockwaves through the Dominican Republic and its diaspora, particularly as reports surfaced that she had been under official protection in a shelter, highlighting the stark reality of domestic violence. Advocates point to the tragedy as a sobering reminder of how volatile relationships can escalate when bonds fracture, a pattern all too familiar in the territory. The case has reignited calls for stronger measures to protect vulnerable individuals, with many questioning how such a tragedy could occur despite protective measures.
As the investigation continues, authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward. The CIB Major Crimes Division can be reached at 340-714-9823, 340-714-9828, or 340-714-9829, while the Virgin Islands Police Department is available at 340-774-2211. Tips can also be sent via WhatsApp at 340-642-8449, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. For now, the St. Thomas community mourns a life lost too soon, as the quest for justice and answers presses on.
