New evidence in a 2022 murder has led to the case going to trial. 

On Monday morning, Superior Court of Guam Judge Maria Cenzon decided to schedule trial dates for Manny Murciano, who is accused of shooting Stevy Villanueva, dismembering his body and disposing of his remains in Chalan Pago in 2022.

The decision to schedule a trial came after Murciano had been expected to take a plea deal in the case for the past year.

On Tuesday, Murciano's defense counsel Charles McDonald, who was not present at the Monday hearing before Judge Cenzon due to a coverage oversight, explained "newly disclosed evidence" led to the change and a trial was the appropriate way to resolve the case.

As KUAM reported, Murciano was charged in July 2022, months after an investigation in January 2022 was launched in response to a trash fire and human torso found in Chalan Pago. The investigation consisted of the Guam Police Department using tattoos on the torso to identify Villanueva.