HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A man accused of murder has been appointed a new attorney to represent him.
On Wednesday morning, Jordan Michael Babauta, a suspect in the murder of Jason Susuico earlier this year, appeared in the Superior Court of Guam before Judge John Terlaje.
Babauta, who has pleaded not guilty to the charge of aggravated murder, appeared with attorney Joshua Walsh. Walsh, however, would not remain Babauta’s attorney after he filed a motion to withdraw from the case.
As a result, Terlaje accepted Walsh’s withdrawal and appointed attorney Vanessa Williams to represent Babauta.
Walsh’s withdrawal makes him one of several attorneys to have withdrawn as Babauta’s counsel. Reasons for withdrawal from past attorneys included having a conflict of interest.
Additionally, Babauta during his arraignment hearing in August expressed a desire to represent himself because he was innocent of the charge and wanted to assert his right to a speedy trial, according to Post files.
In that hearing, Magistrate Judge Benjamin Sison Jr. advised Babauta not to represent himself. However, Babauta continued with the arraignment, pleading not guilty and asserting his right to a speedy trial.
The case was then assigned to Terlaje, who appointed Walsh and now Williams as Babauta’s counsel.
Homicide
Babauta is one of four total suspects to be accused of murdering Susuico and disposing of his body in an area on Route 15.
The other suspects are Cynthia Rose Quinata, Brandon Chandler and Jason Manibusan, who are also facing charges of aggravated murder.
According to court documents, months after Susuico’s body was discovered, the Guam Police Department received information from an informant, that Susuico was murdered at a residence in Pågat, Mangilao. The residence was later found to be rented by Quinata. Police found “large traces of blood on the walls and floors” inside one of the bedrooms of the residence, which resulted in Quinata’s arrest.
The informant also said Susuico was allegedly “beat down” at Quinata’s residence “over a burned drug deal,” court documents state.
Babauta and Chandler were charged after another informant heard the two “talking about how they and another suspect had beaten the victim to death and then used the victim’s vehicle to transport his body to a location adjacent to Route 15 in Yigo.”
Additionally, informants reported Manibusan was allegedly involved in Susuico’s death.
All four defendants’ charging documents state that “police have identified other suspects in the homicide and are still actively looking for them.”
On Oct. 25, GPD spokesperson Officer Berlyn Savella confirmed the investigation remains open and ongoing.
Jordan Babauta