On November 18, 1988, police in St. Croix responded to what began as a minor traffic accident and discovered Radha Maharaj suffering from internal injuries. She was taken to hospital but died before treatment. Sixteen miles away officers found her husband, Krishnadath Maharaj, dead on the side of the road. Both had clothing soaked in seawater, and $25,000 in cash the couple had recently borrowed was missing.

Medical examiners later determined both Radha and Krishnadath died from cyanide poisoning. Investigators linked their deaths to a series of similar poisonings on St. Croix dating back to 1984, cases tied to fraud by a man presenting himself as a ritual practitioner. Victims reported being given a potion to drink; earlier victims had also taken out large loans before their deaths. Radha and Krishnadath had been receiving mysterious phone calls and their daughters said their mother had seemed tense about the family finances.

No arrests had been announced and the suspected con artist remained unidentified. Did anyone on St. Croix at the time know who was offering paid rituals or handling large cash loans for families in the community?