Jason Keith Manibusan made his first court appearance on Saturday in the Superior Court of Guam, facing two criminal felony charges of aggravated murder and guilt by complicity. Manibusan is the fourth suspect implicated in the slaying of retired military veteran Jason Susuico. The charges stem from an alleged drug deal.
According to the magistrate complaint filed against Manibusan, multiple sources of information stated that he, along with two other defendants and additional individuals, beat Susuico to death. Susuico’s body was discovered decomposing in the jungle on January 24, with the chief medical examiner ruling his death as a homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the head.
The investigation into Susuico’s murder has already led to the arrests of Cynthia Rose Quinata, Jordan Michael Babauta, and Brandon Rufus Chandler. Quinata is accused of luring Susuico to her home in Pagat, Mangilao, under the pretense of smoking methamphetamine. However, the true motive was reportedly retaliation for Susuico’s involvement in a burned drug deal.
Chandler and Babauta were arrested based on information provided by a source who overheard their conversation discussing their participation in beating Susuico to death. The complaint states that the two defendants, along with another suspect, used Susuico’s vehicle to transport his body to a location near Route 15 in Yigo.
The complaint also suggests that there may be additional arrests in the future, as the police have identified other suspects in the homicide and are actively searching for them. The investigation is ongoing.
