Tennessee Insurance Broker Murdered in Virgin Islands
Authorities say a Nashville insurance broker was found dead in his secluded rental home in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The U.S. Virgin Islands Police Department confirmed that Edward Netherland, 60, was found Tuesday morning. The department said an autopsy revealed that Netherland died as a result of blunt force trauma.
Bob Carney, Netherland’s landlord, told the Tennessean that it appeared that burglars entered the home and surprised him.
“I don’t think we really understand it,” Carney said. “There was a scuffle, he hit his head and ultimately succumbed. The burglars seemed to have panicked and left. They took his wallet.”
The newspaper could not corroborate Carney’s account with police.
“Crime is so rare down here that people don’t really lock their doors,” Carney said.
The area where Netherland lived was on the remote, sparsely populated east end of St. John.
Netherland had been involved with setting up some businesses on the island involving insurance and premium financing, Carney said. Netherland was a life insurance broker who ran several companies in Nashville and Murfreesboro, and he was facing lawsuits related to those companies.
One investment company sued Netherland in 2010 claiming Netherland took at least $1 million of their money after lying about commitments from other creditors.
He and former Tennessee state treasurer hopeful Ira Brody were named in another lawsuit alleging they collaborated in a complex life insurance scheme for their own benefit.
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