Pair indicted in alleged killing of Army veteran

The evidence was enough for a grand jury to move the murder case against 46-year-old Cynthia Rose Quinata and 32-year-old Jordan Michael Bbabauta forward.

The pair accused of premeditated murder, meaning they allegedly carefully planned out how they would get army veteran jason susuico to this pagat, mangilao home and beat him to death.

This week, indictments were handed down against the two charging them both with aggravated murder and guilt by complicity.

Babauta today answered to the charges in local court.

Attorney Samuel Teker:  I discovered that there is a direct conflict and I won't be able to take this case.

Magistrate Judge Benjamin Sison: Ok. So I am going to have to get a new lawyer for you, Mr. Babauta.

Babauta: Your Honor, can I just assert my rights to a speedy trial today?

Sison: I think that you need to see a lawyer. Alright, give us another date for arraignment.

The court clerk then scheduled the arraignment for Aug. 3 at 2 p.m.. 

Babauta: Your Honor, can we move my court hearing a little bit closer?

Sison: No. Not at this time. 

Babauta: I would like to assert as soon as possible that's why, Your Honor. 

It took investigators nearly six months to work with a couple of sources to find out what happened after Susuico’s body was found badly decomposed in the jungle area near the Raceway Park in Yigo.

Quinata allegedly lured Susuico to her Pagat home with plans to smoke the drug, ice.

Prosecutors alleged that’s where the deadly beating occurred.

The motive – an apparent drug deal gone wrong involving Susuico.

Detectives still on the hunt for at least two other murder suspects involved who also allegedly helped to drive Susuico’s body a few miles north along Route 15, before dumping off the side of the road in Yigo.

To date, authorities not yet naming those suspects.

Earlier this month, police Chief Stephen Ignacio told KUAM News the investigation is far from over.

"If others are involved it’s a matter of putting the pieces together and should there be a need of course more arrests will be made in the future," he said.

We asked why haven't they named the other suspects despite court records stating they have been named. 

"Because we know who those other two are and by publicly naming them tips them off and as we continue to investigate, we don’t want them to go into hiding," he said. 

But the pair apparently are on the run from authorities.

At the time investigators arrested Quinata, prosecutors allege she already had a plane ticket and was packing, ready to leave the island.

Quinata is scheduled to answer to the charges in court on July 25.