HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A man allegedly on drugs and under the influence of alcohol is behind bars after he reportedly threatened to harm his wife and burn down their apartment.
Ren Herman Francisco accused his wife of cheating on him with their neighbors before taking a fighting stance and making gestures as if he was going to hit his wife, according to a magistrate’s complaint filed Saturday with the Superior Court of Guam.
The incident, which occurred Friday, was unprovoked, according to the woman, who told officers with the Guam Police Department that she hadn’t spoken to Francisco in three days and “didn’t know what was the cause.”
“Every time he is mad at something, he starts accusing her of being with her neighbors,” the complaint stated.
The woman met police at a store in Mangilao “because she was scared of her husband, who she said was drunk.”
According to the complaint, the woman provided a written statement stating that Francisco “was throwing (her) stuff outside and scaring (her) kids while she was out. Francisco made threats that he was going to hurt her via Whatsapp and phone call if (she) came (to the residence). Francisco also started a fire in (their) room, burning some clothes.”
“The victim told officers that she fears for her life and that she believes Francisco could hurt her because he’s on drugs,” the complaint further stated.
After meeting with the victim, police followed her to the residence, a two-story apartment complex with four units.
“Officers attempted to gain access to (the) unit by knocking and announcing their presence. Francisco, from inside, stated, ‘What do you want?’ Officers requested for Francisco to exit the residence (to) which he stated, ‘No. Go away. This is my house.’ Officers informed Francisco of the complaint made against him, to which he replied, ‘I don’t care, go away.’ The victim attempted to unlock the front door, which Francisco held on to the door lock and prevented officers from entering,” the complaint said.
The complaint states that officers then proceeded to the rear of the residence, where the back door was open but the metal screen door was secured. There, officers reported the presence and smell of smoke.
“Officers smelled and saw smoke coming from the residence and smoke covering the entire living room area,” the complaint said.
Two officers later gained entry to the residence through a bedroom window that the victim pushed open. At the same time, Francisco exited the apartment and a third police officer detained him.
“Officers conducted a search of the premises where they noted the master bedroom to be in disarray with black burnt cloth on the floor, and water to be on the floor by the burnt cloth. Visible smoke was within the residence, but no active fire was burning,” the complaint said.
Francisco, who was already on pretrial release in a separate case involving violence, was charged with terroristic conduct as a third-degree felony, terrorizing as a third-degree felony and family violence as a misdemeanor.
He was detained on $5,000 cash bail.
A Guam Police Department cruiser is parked in front of GPD headquarters on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Tiyan.
