by Mindy Aguon

Guam - Two adults and three minors charged in the brutal murder of 31-year-old Vincent Bernardo Peredo were magistrated in the Superior Court this afternoon. Via videoconference the five defendants appeared before Superior Court magistrate judge Alberto Tolentino.

Derrick Cruz was the first to appear and held his head down as the court read the magistrate's complaint listing off the charges of murder as a 1st degree felony, aggravated murder as a 1st degree felony, burglary as 2nd degree felony, a special allegation of possession and use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony, and conspiracy to commit burglary.

Prosecutor Clyde Lemons asked for $500,000 bail, saying Cruz and Carl-Jerome Delorie and three male minors face life in prison without parole if convicted. Lemons added, "The defendant and others went into the victims' house and beat him and left him for dead." The court imposed the $500,000 bail as Cruz wiped tears from his eyes. Delorie also appeared before the court, facing the same charges as Cruz, and said he was aware of the criminal charges.

Lemons also sought $500,000 cash bail reiterating to the court that "these young mean entered into the victim's home and beat him with a bat and their fists." The prosecutor added that the medical examiner during the autopsy said it had appeared that the victim was tortured and "had he received prompt medical attention, he would have survived."

The court appointed the public defender to represent Cruz while the alternate public defender was appointed to represent Delorie. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for March 25 unless an indictment is handed down prior.