Three murder victims – two suspects

PHILIPSBURG – The public prosecutor’s office wants to handle the trial against two suspects in the murders of Francis Widnor (Franky) Brunache, Taheba York and Sabrina Martes in one session. Investigators found that the same weapons were used for all three killings.

The defendants, 23-year old Hensley Hilarion M. and 27-year old Hashantley Fulgencio M, appeared in court for a pro forma hearing on Wednesday, only to hear that their case was going to be postponed until October 3.

Brunache was shot in front of his house in Hope Estate on January 24, 2017 –   a Wednesday night – at around 11 p.m. The victim had a criminal record going back to 2009 for drugs and firearm possession; he was also a suspect in the Octopus-investigation into vote selling in the Pointe Blanche prison during the 2014 parliamentary elections.

The prosecution has witness statements, video footage and forensic evidence to support its charges against the two defendants for this murder.

Taheba York and his girlfriend Sabrina Martes were shot in their car in Sucker Garden on January 6, 2017.

Investigators have now linked both cases to the two defendants. The investigation into the York-Martes double homicide has not been completed yet, so Hensley M. and Hashantley M. have not been charged with this crime yet. But in case those charges materialize, the prosecution wants to handle all three murders in one court hearing.