Brunache murder court trial set for June 6

PHILIPSBURG – The Court in First Instance will handle the Widmor Brunache murder trial on June 13. Two suspects have been charged with killing Brunache on January 24 of last year in front of his house in Hope Estate.

Hensley Hilarion M., 23, and Hashantley Fulgencio M., 27, appeared in court on Wednesday morning under heavy security. They were handcuffed and guarded by officers whose faces were covered with balaclavas.

Attorney Brenda Brooks was in court on behalf of Marijke Vader who was unable to fly from Curacao to St. Maarten. She asked the court to terminate or suspend her clients’ pre-trial detention but the judge denied both requests based on the public prosecutor’s objections. He said that the request was not substantiated and cited the risk of collusion with witnesses that still have to be heard.

Hensley M. borrowed a car from a lady living on the French side on the night of the execution-style murder. Footage from surveillance cameras show how this car crossed the border shortly before midnight.

The car will be examined for gunshot residue. When the car was impounded at the end of January the scent of fire still lingered in its interior.

Last Monday the two suspects were arrested in their cell, this time for an execution that took place on January 6 of last year. That night, Taheba ‘Samuel’ York and Sabrina Martes were shot to death in their car in Sucker Garden.

For this charge, both suspects are detained without access to newspapers, radio and television; they are not allowed to receive visitors with the exception of their attorney.

The prosecution still wants to hear three witnesses in this investigation. Two of them have already been heard by the police but according to the public prosecutor they refuse further cooperation.

The court gave the defense three weeks time to submit requests for further investigation.

The court set the (tentative) trial date for June 6 and instructed attorney Brooks to submit requests for hearing witnesses by March 5.

For further details and photos, see 721news.com report “Two suspects arrested in Taheba York and Sabrina Martes murder case called ‘PALM TREE‘”