The friend of an American swimmer who was found dead at their home in the Virgin Islands was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a violent brawl in 2007, sources say.
Jamie Cail, 42, was not found around midnight on February 21, after which police launched a criminal investigation.
Sources confirmed Fox News digital her boyfriend is Kamal Thomas, 34, who discovered her at their house after returning home from the pub.
Thomas fought the serious allegations for years after he and three other men assaulted 21-year-old James Cockayne hours before his death.
He was charged with assaulting Cockayne, a tourist on the island, and was initially convicted of two counts of third-degree assault and associated gun charges.
Her boyfriend Kamal Thomas, 34, discovered her at their house after coming home from the pub
Jamie Cail, 42, was found unconscious on February 21 by her boyfriend – who has not been identified – as police launched a criminal investigation
But his conviction was overturned in 2008 after it was revealed that prosecutors failed to hand over a key piece of evidence before the trial.
Thomas was subsequently convicted of third-degree assault, simple assault, gun charges and threatening a witness after a second trial in 2010.
His co-accused Anselmo Boston was found guilty of the same charges, while Jamil Ward was convicted of second-degree murder, assault and weapons charges.
Thomas was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with two years suspended, and fined $11,750 on all charges, according to the VI Daily News.
Cockayne’s family said it is “very difficult” to get justice in the Virgin Islands as Virgin Islands police refuse to identify Cail’s friend.
His mother, Jeanie Cockayne, claimed that her family hired private investigators to collect information about her son’s death – then handed it over to the police as she went public.
They have spent “tens of thousands of dollars” on their investigation and are urging Cail’s family to do the same, adding, “If they want justice for their daughter, they’re going to have to fight for it.”
She also claimed that a St. John resident called her and said, “They told me how Kamal Thomas’ girlfriend was found dead.
James Cockayne’s family (pictured) said it is ‘very difficult’ to get justice in the Virgin Islands as Virgin Islands police refuse to identify Cail’s friend
Authorities have confirmed that the medal-winning swimmer (second from right) was discovered on the floor of her boyfriend’s home on St John Island before being taken to the Myrah Keating-Smith Clinic
‘Apparently they didn’t know her well. They knew her and she was a nice person, but she just made bad choices. And he was one of them.’
Authorities confirmed that the medal-winning swimmer was discovered on the floor of her boyfriend’s home on St John Island before being taken to the Myrah Keating-Smith Clinic.
Hospital staff performed CPR when she arrived with her partner and a friend and “informed she was in cardiac arrest,” but Cail “succumbed” and died in the early hours.
Detectives were notified of the death upon arrival and an autopsy was performed to determine her cause of death.
Officers from the Criminal Investigation Bureau are investigating the death, although a VIPD spokesperson did not respond to further questions from DailyMail.com.
It comes after her family said they were “devastated” and “shocked to the bone” by her death, while friends posted several cryptic messages about the tragic swimmer’s passing.
It comes after her family said they were ‘devastated’ and ‘devastated’ by her death, while friends posted several cryptic messages about the tragic swimmer’s passing.
The former University of Maine swimmer worked at a coffee shop and bookstore in St. John
One claimed she was “trying to escape,” adding that she “deserves justice” despite no arrests being made in connection with her death.
They described her as a “great human being and friend,” while writing in a separate post about Cali that they were “going to find out the truth.”
Another message – which also seemed to be about the swimmer – said: ‘She was trying to escape to heal. Unfortunately, she didn’t make it in time. You were so close baby’.
It was followed by advice on what to do if you’re in an abusive relationship, but there’s been no confirmation of the circumstances surrounding Cail’s death.
The former University of Maine swimmer worked at a coffee shop and bookstore in St. John.
Heartbroken residents have left tributes for the award-winning swimmer outside the shop, along with flowers.
Cail, from Claremont, New Hampshire, was a star swimmer who competed across the US in her youth.
Heartbroken residents have left tributes for the award-winning swimmer outside the shop, along with flowers
In 1996-1997, with Bolles, Cail was included in the ten Top 16 lists published by United States Swimming, and swam in college at USC
A friend told WMUR: ‘She was just she was she was a very beautiful person. She had a huge heart.
“She was really loving and kind and loved and popular on the island and everyone knows her.”
In 1997, she competed for the USA in the Pan Pacific Championships and won a gold medal in a relay and won a silver medal at the 1998–99 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Brazil.
The swimmer attended Bolles School, known for its swimming program, in Jackson, Florida.
Cail still holds the record for the 200m Fly, 400m IM, 200m IM and 400m IM in the 15-16 age group.
She won several high school state championships in Huntington Beach, where she moved to train at the Golden West Swim Club in California.
Cail was part of the US team at the 1997 Pan Pacific Championships as a teenager, where she won a gold medal in the team’s 800 free relay, according to SwimSwam.
A friend claimed she had ‘tried to escape’ adding that she ‘deserves justice’ despite no arrests being made in connection with her death
She won a silver medal at the 1998–99 FINA Swimming World Cup in Brazil in the 800 free as a member of the United States Swimming National B Team.
In 1996-1997, Cail was included with Bolles in the ten Top 16 lists published by United States Swimming, and swam in college at USC.
In a statement, VIPD said: ‘On Tuesday, February 21, 2023, at approximately 2:39 a.m., detectives were made aware of a dead on arrival (DOA) case at the Myrah Keating-Smith Clinic on St. John.
On Tuesday, February 21, 2023, a man reported that he had arrived at his home, where he found his girlfriend on the floor.
With the help of a friend, the female was transported to the Myrah Keating-Smith Clinic, where hospital staff reported that the female was in cardiac arrest. The hospital staff resuscitated, but the female succumbed.
The female was identified by her boyfriend as 42-year-old Mrs. Jamie Cail of New Hampshire. An autopsy is pending to determine the cause of death.
“This case is currently under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Bureau.”
Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact 911, Criminal Investigation Bureau – Major Crime Unit at (340) 774-2211 or Crime Stoppers VI at 1 (800) 222-TIPS.
