By Gina Tabonares
Variety News Staff

ARTHUR Seagraves, one of the major suspects in the 1996 murder of Michelle Limtiaco, arrived from the U.S. mainland and appeared in the Superior Court yesterday to face the aggravated murder and robbery charges filed against him and his nephew, Luis Gaily Seagraves Jr.
Chief Prosecutor Phil Tydingco told media that the older Seagraves flew in last night and voluntarily surrendered as part of an earlier negotiation with local law enforcement authorities.
He was scheduled to appear in the courtroom of Superior Court Presiding Judge Alberto Lamorena for a return on warrant proceeding but as of 6:30 p.m. yesterday, it was not known whether the court proceeded with his arraignment or scheduled a day for his trial.
The murder case has been assigned to Judge Lamorena after Judge Arthur Barcinas recused himself from the case, citing a conflict of interest with a possible witness.
Arthur Seagraves, 59, and his nephew, Luis Gaily Seagraves Jr., 27, are facing charges of first-degree felony for conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, aggravated murder with a special allegation of possession and use of a deadly weapon, a knife, in the commission of a felony, and first-degree robbery.
The younger Seagraves earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges through his counsels, David Lujan and Peter Perez.
The latest grand jury indictment stated that the two Seagraves and other un-named individuals conspired to commit the aggravated murder on July 10, 1996 and intentionally caused the death of Limtiaco by stabbing her with a knife.
The suspects allegedly took the victim’s car, handbag and other miscellaneous personal property on the same date.
Warrants were issued against the defendants in August 2006 but Seagraves was arrested only on Feb. 4, 2007 when he was caught by Nicaraguan police.
The young Seagraves, who has been indicted three times in the same case, reportedly went off island as soon as his second indictment was dismissed in February 2006.
He was first charged along with his uncle Arthur and Vern Agualo in 1996, but the prosecution did not move forward due to insufficient evidence.
In 2003, the young Seagraves was arrested and brought back from California after the case filed against him was revived.