Probable cause found to charge Sylvestre Sablan for wife’s murder

Superior Court Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio yesterday found probable cause as to all charges against Sylvestre Rogopes Sablan over the killing of his wife at their residence in Oleai last year.

At the preliminary hearing, Kim-Tenorio found probable cause to believe that the crimes of second degree murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and aggravated assault and battery were committed and that Sablan may have committed such offenses.

Kim-Tenorio cited the testimony of Police Detective Simon Manacop regarding the police’s investigation in this case, interviews of witnesses, and the results of the autopsy and DNA of Sablan as well as of the victim, Ana Maria Pialur Limes.

Kim-Tenorio ordered the 44-year-old Sablan to answer the charges.

Arraignment will be on Sept. 26, 2016 at 9am.

Assistant attorney general Chester Hinds called to the witness stand Manacop, who testified how their investigation and results of autopsy as well as the DNA testing from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory led to the arrest and filing of charges against Sablan.

Manacop testified, among other things, that when police responded to a disturbance call at Limes’ neighbor on the early morning of April 19, 2015, Sablan was arrested for illegal possession of methamphetamine or “ice.”

Manacop said according to witnesses, Sablan was not only shouting words that they could not understand, but also offered methamphetamine or “ice” to a witness.

At the time of the arrest, a police officer observed Sablan was wearing a camouflage long sleeve and short pants.

The officer noted that Sablan had a scratch on his belly and stains that appeared to be blood on his pants.

Hinds said the government has presented sufficient evidence to establish probable cause as to all charges.

Citing testimony of Manacop and result of DNA, among others things, Hinds said there is enough evidence to support the charges that the defendant used a paddle and sledgehammer to murder Limes.

Hinds noted that Sablan told a witness that he murdered his wife at that time when police had yet to find out that Limes was killed.

The prosecutor said it made the witness’ statement very credible.

Chief public defender Douglas Hartig, counsel for Sablan, said there’s no evidence at all to support the charges that the defendant killed Limes “with malice aforethought.”

Hartig said the defendant allowed the police to get his clothes for evidence.

“That’s evidence of an innocent man who was trying to cooperate with the police,” Hartig said.

Some family members of Limes were present at the hearing. No family member from Sablan watched the proceedings.

Limes, 52, a former staff assistant of Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP), was found dead inside her house in Oleai/San Jose on April 20, 2015 at noon. Autopsy showed that she died of a skull fracture due to blunt force trauma.

Manacop disclosed in his report that on Feb. 5, 2016, FBI special agent Haejun Park provided him with a report from the FBI laboratory examination.

Manacop said the FBI examination showed that a chemical test for the presence of blood was positive on the physical evidence—the short pants procured from Sablan.

Manacop said the results concluded that “to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty” Limes was identified as a contributor of DNA obtained from the short pants.

The FBI examination report also confirmed that female DNA was present on a sledgehammer and pieces of wooden paddle.

Manacop said examination done on sledgehammer and pieces of wooden paddle confirm “to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty,” Limes is the source of DNA obtained from both items.

Manacop said physical evidence procured from the crime scene such as the sledgehammer, pieces of wooden paddle, stick from a wooden paddle, along with the clothing procured from Sablan, were sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia for analytical examination.

Manacop said that, on April 20, 2015 at 12:12pm, Sablan’s brother, Joaquin, called the Department of Public Safety’s emergency line and requested the police to check on Sablan’s residence.

Joaquin reported that his nephew mentioned about finding Limes inside her house lying down in a pool of blood.