Loaded Revolver Recovered After Domestic Assault on 82-Year-Old St. Croix Woman: COURT WATCH
By JOHN McCARTHY / St. Croix Sun News Reporter
ESTATE WORK AND REST — A Friday night domestic disturbance in a quiet St. Croix neighborhood escalated into a full-scale firearms bust after a local man allegedly punched his 82-year-old wife in the face over a cell phone dispute, threatened to kill her and her son, and was found with a loaded, unlicensed .38 caliber revolver stuffed beneath his pillow.
The suspect, identified in Superior Court dockets as Philip Benjamin Galloway, was arrested and transferred to the John A. Bell Correctional Facility. Under strict Virgin Islands domestic violence laws, he is being held without bail pending his formal Advice of Rights hearing.
The Cell Phone Trigger
According to a probable cause declaration filed by VIPD Officer Jaleesa Gonzalez, the emergency sequence began on Friday, June 5, 2026, at approximately 9:03 PM, when the 911 Emergency Call Center dispatched units to #516 Work and Rest regarding a volatile domestic disturbance in progress. While officers were en route, dispatchers explicitly warned them that the suspect inside the residence was armed with a gun.
Upon arrival, officers made contact with the victim's son, Jeffrey Gordon. Gordon informed police that his stepfather had assaulted his mother but had since retreated to the bedroom.
Gordon detailed the bizarre catalyst for the violence to investigators:
The Tech Assistance: Knowing his 82-year-old mother struggles to operate modern technology due to her advanced age, Gordon had entered the master bedroom to help her silence loud music playing from her cell phone.
The Escalation: The technological intervention allegedly infuriated Galloway. Dockets state that Galloway began ranting, complaining, and aggressively lunged across the room to grab the phone away from his stepson.
The Assault: A brief physical pushing match ensued over the device. When the elderly mother attempted to intervene and told her husband to stop, Galloway allegedly marched around the bed and punched the 82-year-old woman squarely in the face.
Following the physical strike, Galloway allegedly looked at his wife and stated flatly, "I will kill you," before widening the threat to state he would kill her son as well. Gordon was able to maneuver his mother out of the room to safety and dial 911.
The Reach Under the Pillow
When VIPD Officers Micheal Jules, Jahreem Williams, and Destiny Stout entered the bedroom, they found Galloway laying down. The situation nearly turned lethal during the initial detention.
As officers informed Galloway he was being detained, the suspect suddenly stretched his arm in a downward motion toward the bedding. Officers immediately shouted orders for him to stop reaching. Galloway complied, freezing his movements.
When questioned on-scene if he owned a weapon, Galloway pointed directly under his pillow. Forensic Technician Eleyce Flemming processed the scene, extracting a chrome .38 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver. A physical cylinder check revealed the weapon was fully operational and loaded with five live rounds of ammunition.
A subsequent records check conducted by Firearms Supervisor Sergeant Luis Ortiz confirmed that Galloway possesses no legal license to carry or possess a firearm anywhere in the United States or its territories.
Admissions at Mars Hill
Following his arrest, Galloway was transported to the VIPD Operations and Administrative building at #45 Mars Hill. After being read his Miranda warnings, Galloway chose to waive his rights and speak with detectives.
According to court filings, Galloway admitted ownership of the loaded revolver. However, when confronted with the physical injuries visible on his wife's chin—which required immediate on-scene treatment by EMTs—Galloway attempted to play down the severity, claiming he "recalled pushing his wife but not hitting her".
Assistant Attorney General prosecutors have formally signed off on a four-count criminal complaint against Galloway:
Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm (14 V.I.C. § 2253(a))
Unauthorized Possession of Ammunition (14 V.I.C. § 2256(a))
Simple Assault & Battery / Domestic Violence (14 V.I.C. § 299 / 16 V.I.C. § 91)
Disturbance of the Peace by Threats (14 V.I.C. § 622(1))
Court records note that Galloway has no prior criminal history on file in the territory.
