HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Stefen Keanu Camacho was indicted in connection to the fatal shooting of Hea Jun Hwang, a Korean tourist.
On Thursday in the Superior Court of Guam, Camacho, 26, went before a grand jury that determined there was probable cause to charge Camacho for his alleged involvement in the Jan. 4 death and robbery of Hwang.
Camacho was indicted on charges of complicity to commit aggravated murder and robbery with special allegations of a vulnerable victim enhancement, due to Hwang being a tourist and over the age of 55.
Camacho was also indicted on charges of theft of property and destroying evidence as misdemeanors.
Camacho is scheduled to answer to the charges at an arraignment hearing Thursday, Jan. 25 at 2 p.m.
Complaint
On Jan. 4, 60-year-old Hwang was walking with his wife from the TaoTao Tasi dinner show at The Beach Restaurant & Bar in Tumon when they were approached by a vehicle with two men inside. The man sitting in the passenger seat then “presented a pistol and demanded (the woman’s) purse,” court documents state.
A struggle ensued, during which Hwang was shot and fell to the ground. The suspects then sped off in the vehicle with a Lacoste purse that contained a wallet and bank cards. Hwang was taken to the hospital where he died from a gunshot wound to the abdomen caused by a 9 mm bullet.
Police subsequently launched an investigation that involved obtaining surveillance footage from businesses in the area and identifying the vehicle and a portion of the license plate number. Additionally, a tip helped investigators track down Camacho, who was known to drive the vehicle, and Keoki Junior Santos, both of whom were from Yona, the complaint stated.
Camacho was eventually taken into custody Jan. 9. He allegedly stated he and Santos went to Tumon to “try to snatch someone’s purse” to recoup a $100 gambling loss.
Santos was found later and took his own life as he was being approached by officers in Yona, according to the complaint.
Camacho is currently confined at the Department of Corrections on $1 million cash bail and, if convicted, faces life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 77 years.
Stefen Keanu Camacho
