On September 28, 2014, Jill Halliburton Su, 59, was discovered lifeless in her bathtub by her son Justin Su. The 20-year-old Broward College scholar initially instructed 911 that she’d killed herself.
Then he noticed that her arms had been sure. (*26*) he instructed the emergency dispatcher in a recording obtained by “Floribama Murders.”
Justin had referred to as his father, Nan Yao Su, a University of Florida professor and termite-management authority, who rushed dwelling from his workplace. The couple had simply returned from an abroad journey.
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Justin’s blood-stained garments had been collected as proof earlier than he was transported to the police station, alongside together with his father.
Near the main bedroom “the smell of blood in the air was very strong,” mentioned Det. Paul Williams, of the Davie Police Department. Dresser drawers and jewellery containers had been searched and an alarm field in a closet had been ripped out. Investigators additionally discovered {that a} pillow case was lacking, doubtless used to hold away the stolen gadgets.
Jill was present in a bath. Her arms and toes had been sure. It was clear to detectives that she was the sufferer of a ferocious assault, as she’d been stabbed over and over.
A search of the house revealed {that a} again door had been kicked in to achieve entry. Blood proof indicated that Jill had tried to run however was pulled again into the home.
When the tub was drained, the alarm field was discovered, in addition to a big blade with a serrated edge, which was despatched to the crime lab for evaluation. Another knife was discovered outdoors the entrance door of the upscale dwelling.
Investigators discovered that Justin collected knives, making him an individual of curiosity early on within the case, reported the New York Post. Suspicion was exacerbated by Justin’s “troubling inconsistencies” in regards to the morning’s occasions, based on investigators.
“You always start with the person obviously who discovered the body and until they can be eliminated usually they’re suspect number one,” Det. Williams instructed producers.
In a separate interview, Nan Yao Su instructed officers that whereas he was at work he realized one thing was flawed even earlier than his son’s name. He had remotely checked a dwell safety digicam at his dwelling utilizing an app. He noticed a determine in his dwelling after which the feed went offline.
“His original statement to me was this person looked white,” mentioned Det. Williams. “He was holding up a white pillowcase and he felt that it might have been Justin.”
Interviews with Justin and his father reveal a strained relationship between him and his dad and mom, based on “Floribama Murders.”
As investigators dug into the case they thought-about Jill’s background. She was the grand-niece of the founding father of the billion greenback Halliburton oil empire.
Despite her affluence, associates mentioned that Jill was “very all the way down to earth, very sociable” and identified for her native volunteer work.
Between her wealth and her husband’s success, “there was a lot of pressure for Justin to succeed,” based on detectives.
Justin was steadfast in his denials as he was grilled by detectives. “I’m not gonna let you put away an innocent person,” he instructed investigators within the recorded interview.
A evaluate of Justin’s cellphone data, together with safety digicam footage at Broward College, revealed that Justin was not on the home when his mom was slain, based on investigators.
Investigators started to theorize the crime was a theft gone dangerous. They believed that Jill was most likely sleeping and was woke up by an intruder.
A neighbor reported that her canine began “barking like crazy at the front door,” based on investigators. “She saw what she thought was somebody dragging a package back inside of the residence.”
Detectives hoped that the post-mortem report would shed extra mild on the case. “The medical examiner explained that she had 26 wounds,” mentioned Assistant State Attorney Maria Schneider, including that the cuts had been concentrated in her torso, whereas there have been defensive wounds on her arms and fingers.
Investigators questioned the variety of wounds. “That’s what you call overkill,” mentioned investigative journalist Bob Norman. “That’s Manson-style.”
Detectives centered on how the killer obtained entry to the gated group. Nan Yao Su instructed officers that Justin had had a celebration whereas he and Jill had been away. The get together company had been questioned, swabbed for DNA and ultimately cleared by investigators.
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Nine days after the homicide, the crime lab had matched genetic materials discovered on the crime scene to then-20-year-old Dayonte Resiles, whose DNA was already within the system as he already had a rap sheet for burglaries. His DNA was discovered on the broken-in glass door, a knife and a belt used to bind Jill.
Justin and his father didn’t know Resiles, who was introduced in for questioning. Resiles refused to talk with officers. Detectives knowledgeable him that he was going to be charged with first diploma homicide.
Investigators discovered that Resiles had allegedly gone to properties in Davie ostensibly to supply dwelling providers, based on “Floribama Murders.”
Resiles’ housebreaking arrests had a sample, based on protection lawyer H. Dohm Williams. Resiles would knock on doorways to see if any individual was dwelling, and in the event that they weren’t he’d break into the again and burglarize the home.
Resiles reportedly focused prosperous householders and would unfold the riches of his crimes to others much less well-off. “He was basically seen as the Robin Hood of the community,” mentioned Det. Williams.
On July 15, 2016, Resiles’ pretrial listening to was set to start, however the case took a surprising twist when Resiles made a brazen escape from the courtroom, launching one of the vital intense man hunts in South Florida historical past. Seven of Resiles’ associates had been arrested for including the escape. “It was continued chaos for days,” mentioned Norman.
On July 21, Resiles surrendered with out incident. Two months later, he went on trial for Jill’s homicide. Prosecutors emphasised the brutality and that Resiles stabbed Jill again and again to be sure that he left no witness.
The protection crew countered with the truth that the sufferer’s husband had instructed police that the house invader was white. Their shopper was Black.
In December 2021, the courtroom proceedings led to a mistrial after jurors accomplished deliberations with out reaching a unanimous choice.
In March 2022, Resiles was discovered responsible of first diploma homicide and sentenced to life in jail.
At the sentencing listening to, Nan Yao Su confronted Resiles, saying, “In my mind you do not exist.” Justin Su referred to as his mom’s killer a “psychopath.”
To be taught extra in regards to the case, watch “Floribama Murders,” which you’ll be able to stream here.