Found Deceased AZ - Susan Ronquillo, 21, Eloy, 11 July 2014 *Arrests*

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Defense seeks to suppress statements in Pinal murder case that is 'never-ending nightmare.'

http://www.pinalcentral.com/casa_grande_dispatch/area_news/defense-seeks-to-suppress-statements-in-pinal-murder-case-that/article_2c356c4b-a13a-5bbf-8c39-d49118138357.html

The defense for second-degree murder suspect James Robles is seeking to suppress hours of statements the defendant made to detectives in 2014, days before he was arrested in connection to the death of 21-year-old Susan Ronquillo.

Video footage of Robles' interview with officers was shown in Pinal County Superior Court before Judge Joseph Georgini, which took all of Friday to go through his emotionally charged claims. Both the state, now represented by Pima County prosecutor Chris Ward, and the defense also intend to call witnesses on the matter; however, because the video statements were so extensive, the witnesses will not be heard until April 12.

Robles did not confess to any involvement in Ronquillo's death during that interview, but he did claim to have seen a man already convicted of murder strangling her in his own bathroom: Luis Hernandez, found guilty of the first-degree murder of Juan Jimenez and the kidnapping of Carlos Vargas.

Hernandez has never been charged in Ronquillo's case, though he did provide information to the authorities - like nearly 25 others did, according one detective on the video - indicating Robles was the "monster" they were after.

Hearing Robles - or "Jimmy" - speak of Ronquillo's last minutes, even if Ronquillo's cousin Starla Martinez doesn't buy his version, was emotional for her, too. She cried, comforted by Ronquillo's aunt Frankie Tyree, as he spoke of watching Hernandez load Ronquillo's body into the back of his vehicle, a foot peaking out from under a brown tarp.

"Looking at him in the beginning of his interview - he started tearing up, which made me angry because I felt like he was crying for himself," she said. "But it was emotional to hear the exact details and look at the exact person who did the exact thing that I've been obsessing over for two years.

"This case is just a never-ending nightmare."

The trial is still currently scheduled for April 25th.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Witnesses testifying in Ronquillo murder case admit to meth use

http://www.pinalcentral.com/eloy_enterprise/news/witnesses-testifying-in-ronquillo-murder-case-admit-to-meth-use/article_828f45c4-4b34-5328-9893-7c4ba51309f6.html

Witnesses began testifying Wednesday in the murder trial of the man accused of killing Susan Ronquillo more than two years ago.

Davenport said she remembered last seeing Ronquillo at the defendant’s home. She attempted to contact Ronquillo through Facebook a couple of days later but didn’t get a response.

Davenport claims Robles told her he was forced to kick Ronquillo out of his house, and she had moved back to Phoenix. After Ronquillo was reported missing, the witness said Robles called her asking for the password to Ronquillo’s computer.

Both Ronquillo and Davenport were abusing methamphetamine during this time, the witness said, and Davenport added she had an on-and-off relationship with Robles.

The day after Ronquillo is believed to have been killed, Davenport said she saw Robles and observed that his hand was swollen.

Plunk, another witness, said she too observed that one of Robles’ hands was red and swollen around this time. She told the jury Robles blamed it on a “spider bite.”

State prosecutor Chris Ward presented a number of crime scene photos to the jury, showing Robles’ home after he was arrested. Some photos documented a pile of broken glass and small blood stains spotted in the home’s bathroom.

During questioning by defense attorney Bret Huggins, a crime-scene technician admitted that there’s no way to determine when those blood stains originated.

Other photographs depicted a laundry basket containing multiple items of clothing marked in blood. Huggins took issue with how investigators recovered this evidence, noting it can’t be determined whether the bloody clothes were at the bottom or top of the basket, suggesting they could have been old, dirty clothes unrelated to the crime.

 

[byo]

Mistrial declared in Robles murder case
By KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer May 3, 2017 Updated May 3, 2017

FLORENCE — The jury in James Robles’ second-degree murder trial has failed to deliver a unanimous verdict.

After deliberating for nearly two days, the jury returned to Judge Joseph Georgini’s courtroom Wednesday afternoon without a verdict. Georgini declared a mistrial and dismissed the jurors.

(. . .)

Georgini is asking the state and defense to reconvene June 6 to review the next step in Robles’ case.

 

[cvaldez1975]

wow. are they going to retry? guess we will soon see.

this guy was arrested in 2004 for a drive by and took a 7.5 year plea in 2005. he would have gotten CFTS but still didn't parole until 2014. this guy caught another case in prison or was extremely poorly behaved enough to get hella days equaling a year added to his prison sentence.

with 7.5 years on a violent felony he would have served 80%. however even if AZ law is different, and he had to do the whole sentence, he should have been out in 2013. he did a whole more year.

 

[byo]

New prosecutor to change tactics in Robles murder trial
By KEVIN REAGAN | Staff Writer Jun 6, 2017

FLORENCE — The new prosecutor assigned to litigate James Robles’ murder case says he plans to take a different approach.

Jonathan Mosher of the Pima County Attorney’s Office was recently assigned to replace Chris Ward as prosecutor for Robles’ 2014 murder charge.

(. . . )

The prosecutor has already deviated from his predecessor by obtaining an indictment of Robles on first-degree murder, suggesting he acted with premeditation. The defendant was originally charged with second-degree murder.

Defense attorney Bret Huggins said it’s not appropriate to “up the ante” in criminal charges because opposing counsel has a new approach.

(. . . )

[Judge] Georgini has not yet delivered a ruling on the motion to dismiss and no new trial date has been set.

 

[cvaldez1975]

im glad to hear he is trying for first degree. hopefully he has evidence to back it. and double jeopardy is when he was acquitted, he wasn't acquitted, it was a mistrial.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Fate of Pinal murder case still up in the air

http://www.pinalcentral.com/casa_grande_dispatch/area_news/fate-of-pinal-murder-case-still-up-in-the-air/article_eb119fc9-ac3f-55b9-8e37-a1770baa4ae7.html

Pinal County Superior Court Judge Joseph Georgini has not set a date for Robles’ second trial, having to review a number of motions filed by the defense and prosecution.

On Tuesday, Georgini held a hearing to review a group of motions, some of which called for the dismissal of charges against Robles.

The judge took the oral arguments under advisement and made no ruling on the defense’s dismissal motions. The prosecution asked to explore the idea of setting a trial date Tuesday but the defense objected, arguing it would be premature to do so until the pending motions are settled.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Robles retrial scheduled for next August

http://www.pinalcentral.com/casa_grande_dispatch/area_news/robles-retrial-scheduled-for-next-august/article_bef7a88f-b473-5ac0-af50-e37152c6d865.html

An Eloy man is scheduled to go to trial again for the 2014 murder of a 21-year-old woman.

A jury failed to convict or acquit 35-year-old James Robles in May for the second-degree murder of Susan Ronquillo. On Tuesday, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Joseph Georgini scheduled a new trial for the defendant to start on Aug. 13, 2018.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Robles retrial delayed to November, state mulls plea deal

James Robles was scheduled to stand trial for the second time in August, but Pinal County Superior Court Judge Joseph Georgini ordered last week the trial be delayed until Nov. 13.

Ronquillo’s family has been waiting four years for justice in her death.

Frankie Tyree, the victim’s aunt, said not having resolution in the case feels like having a “prolonged open wound.”

Tyree said Pima County recently notified her family that prosecutors were considering a plea agreement for the defendant.

The victim’s family does not support a plea deal for any offense less than first-degree murder, she said.

 

[cvaldez1975]

he was convicted again

Robles found guilty of second-degree murder

 

[cvaldez1975]

here was a 2 part series from 2016

A haunting murder: Scars have yet to heal

A haunting murder: Why Susan?

 

[cvaldez1975]

paywall here but he got the max

Robles gets maximum sentence for Eloy murder

 

[cvaldez1975]

here is his appeal

STATE OF ARIZONA v. JAMES ROBLES