Jamie Cail: Boyfriend of US swim champ found dead was convicted of beating 21-year-old man to death
ST JOHN, US VIRGIN ISLANDS: Former American swimming champion Jamie Cail, who was found dead in the Virgin Islands on Tuesday, February 21, was allegedly dating Kamal 'Six Pack' Thomas. Further investigation into Thomas' life has revealed that he has a criminal record and was convicted for the 2007 beating death of a tourist, James Cockayne.
Cail, who excelled in swimming in high school, reportedly got involved with a man with a criminal record. Three different sources revealed that Cail, 42, whose death is still under investigation by authorities, was dating Thomas, 34, reports Fox News. According to court documents, Thomas, who is from Georgia, was found guilty of killing Cockayne after he and others attacked the Pennsylvania native outside a club in St John. First-degree murder charges were initially filed after the 2007 attack, but Thomas was able to avoid the charges.
RELATED ARTICLES
Thomas was instead sentenced to eight years in prison after being found guilty of assault and weapons possession in 2010, reports Virgin Islands Free Press, a local news site. The four perpetrators of the 2007 attack, including a man found guilty of tampering with evidence, were all found guilty of charges related to the death, according to Fox News.
What has evolved in Jamie Cail's death?
Authorities previously claimed that Cail's boyfriend discovered her unconscious in their house, though they have not yet verified the man's identity. A representative of the Virgin Islands Police Department told CNN on Tuesday, February 28 that the Maine native's autopsy was ongoing and that detectives were "anxiously awaiting" the findings, which would include a toxicology report. Virgin Islands officials also indicated that the Criminal Investigative Bureau reviews every fatality and that Cail's case now has "a lot of moving parts."
Jamie Cail's family will need to 'fight' for justice
Cockayne was killed after being beaten, battered, and stabbed multiple times after a confrontation outside the club, according to a 2007 CNN report. Afterwards, he died on the street. His mother, Jeanie Cockayne, said, "It's very difficult to get justice in the Virgin Islands. Very difficult," reports Fox News.
Jeanie claimed that her family hired private detectives to investigate into the matter and provided information to authorities. The men responsible for Cockayne's death were able to win appeals and go through several trials before being sentenced to prison. She added that Cail's family would need to "fight for it" if they wanted justice for their loved one.