Trial for Paet murder suspects pushed back

Guam – Jury trial for the four suspects accused for the December 2010 Las Vegas murder of former Guam resident Nathan Paet has been delayed, according to Clark County court documents. Trial was scheduled to begin on November 14th for his wife Michelle Paet along with Michael Rodriguez, Corry Hawkins and Jessica Austin who face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, burglary while in possession of a deadly weapon and murder with a deadly weapon. As we reported, Michelle and Rodriguez confessed they were having an affair, and that they plotted to kill Nathan Paet, who was stationed at Nellis Air Force base, to cash in on his more than half-million dollar life insurance policy. Nathan Paet was shot and killed in a murder-for-hire plot as he was leaving his Mountain Edge home.

According to the latest court minutes filed on September 22nd in the Clark County court system, Michelle Paet's attorney Kristina Windeveld advised the court she will not be able to go forward with the trial setting, as she has to travel to Guam with her investigator. Court records do not state the purpose of her visit to the territory.

Michelle Paet, Rodriguez and Hawkins all face the death penalty. The fourth suspect, Jessica Austin does not and has since been placed under house arrest. A status hearing is scheduled for November 10th to reset the trial date.