HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A man on trial for murder admitted to police he punched a man multiple times in a fight. The victim died days later.
On the second day of Branty Walliby’s trial for murder stemming from the death of Arnold Narruhn a year ago, the Office of the Attorney General called Guam Police Department Detective Eric Mondia, who is a supervisor for the Crimes Against Persons Unit, as a witness.
Prosecutor Sean Brown’s reason for calling Mondia was to question the detective about his involvement in the investigation into Narruhn’s death on Dec. 11, 2022, after an altercation at New Fatima Mart in Dededo.
Mondia testified he was the supervisor on duty for the second day of the investigation and was first shown videos associated with the case. In one of the videos, Branty Walliby can be seen wearing a white shirt and kicking a parked vehicle and punching a wall in front of New Fatima Mart.
Then Mondia recalled the search for Branty Walliby and his brother Jerron Walliby who were believed at the time to be suspects involved in the altercation with Narruhn and another man, John Otto, which resulted in the death of Narruhn at a hospital days later.
Mondia said he had visited the Wallibys’ residence before their father took GPD officers to a ranch off Ysengsong Road where Branty Walliby and Jerron Walliby were located.
“When we made the approach, they were very cooperative. They knew why we were there. We did advise them of their rights,” said Mondia, who also said he asked if they had the clothes they were wearing at the time of the incident.
Officers subsequently confiscated the white shirt Branty Walliby was wearing, which appeared to have red blood stains on it. Photos of the blood-stained shirt were shown to Mondia and the jury. Additionally, the black shorts worn by Branty Walliby in the video were in a bowl of water and Mondia explained the Wallibys were doing laundry.
Interview
Mondia continued to testify about the apprehension of Branty Walliby, which involved transporting him to the police precinct, where Mondia interviewed Branty Walliby.
Once again, Mondia recalled Branty Walliby being “very cooperative” after being read his Miranda rights, and explained despite a bit of a language barrier, Branty Walliby was able to discuss the incident.
“He was saying that he and his brother Jerron were drinking at the store. … Supposedly, he claimed (Narruhn and Otto) were causing problems. They were showing him the middle finger and that they were saying ‘F-you’ in Chuukese,” Mondia said.
“He (Branty Walliby) did immediately say that that made him angry, that he wanted to hurt them, and he struck Arnold once, and then he continued to say, ‘I punch. I punch. I keep punching,'” Mondia added.
Branty Walliby also admitted to punching Otto, who was trying to break up the assault, according to Mondia.
Mondia also testified that during the interview Branty Walliby was talking about pain in his hands. Photos taken of Branty Walliby showed his right hand was swollen and he also had scratches and abrasions.
Following Brown’s direct examination of Mondia, Branty Walliby’s attorney, Terrence Timblin, asked if it was possible Branty Walliby received injuries from punching a wall.
“Is it possible that, based on the fact that he was punching a car and punching the wall, that that may have at least caused some of the injuries you just talked about?” Timblin asked.
“Some of the injuries? Yes, it’s possible,” Mondia responded.
Timblin further asked if Branty Walliby discussed what his brother Jerron Walliby did during the altercation. Mondia said Branty Walliby did not speak about his brother. Mondia said he did not interview Jerron Walliby.
Trial
After Mondia was excused from the courtroom, Brown said his next witness was supposed to be Jerron Walliby. However, Jerron Walliby did not show up in court to testify.
Jerron Walliby pleaded guilty before the start of Branty Walliby’s trial on Monday to the charge of aggravated assault as a third-degree felony for his involvement in the fatal altercation. The terms of Jerron Walliby’s plea agreement included him testifying in his brother’s trial and serving no additional time in prison.
Due to Jerron Walliby’s absence, Brown and Timblin suggested to Judge Alberto Tolentino they would stipulate to allowing the recording of Jerron Walliby’s change-of-plea hearing be played for the jury. Jerron Walliby pleaded guilty to assaulting Otto.
“I punched and kicked him. That’s all I remember,” Jerron Walliby stated during the earlier hearing, according to Post files.
In opening statements, Timblin showed jurors a photo of Jerron Walliby holding a broomstick on the day of the incident, and said the injuries Narruhn later succumbed to could have been caused by being struck with a broomstick.
Guam Police Department Detective Eric Mondia testifies during Day 2 of the Branty Walliby murder trial, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, at the Superior Court of Guam in Hagåtña.
