Dayonte Resiles smiles in court during mental health hearing

Murder suspect sits in Broward County courtroom from which he escaped

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A 21-year-old murder suspect who escaped from the Broward County courthouse earlier this month was all smiles Tuesday as he sat in the same courtroom from which he broke free.

Dayonte Resiles was guarded by a team of armed Broward Sheriff's Office deputies as he appeared in court for a hearing regarding his court-ordered mental health evaluation.

"We agreed that the evaluation was not necessary and then we spoke about rescheduling the motion that was supposed to be heard on July 15," defense attorney Dohn Williams told Local 10 News.

It was at that scheduled hearing regarding his death-penalty status that Resiles broke free from his handcuffs and shackles, took off his jumpsuit and ran out of the courthouse. He was arrested five days later at a Days Inn in West Palm Beach.

Resiles is charged with first-degree murder in the 2014 death of Jill Halliburton Su, whose body was found in a bathtub in her Davie home.

The murder suspect's brother, family and friends attended the hearing, wearing shirts that read, "Innocence until proven guilty."

Seven people have been arrested in connection with the escape, two of whom -- Francine Mesadieu, 31, and Winston Russell Jr., 22 -- also had hearings Tuesday. Both remain in jail without bond.

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said twins Kretron Barnes and TreVon Barnes, 17, sat in the courtroom July 15 while Russell and LaQuay Stern, 18, waited in Stern's silver BMW on the north side of the courthouse. He said one of the twins coughed into a cellphone as Resiles made his getaway, signaling to Stern and Russell that Resiles was on his way to the car.

According to an arrest affidavit, Mesadieu gave Resiles a wig, eye color-changing contacts and clothing in an effort to help him conceal his identity.

Another arrest affidavit said that Paige Jackson, 18, spoke to Resiles on the telephone at least 15 times between July 4-7. Detectives believe she set up a series of three-way calls in order to help Resiles plan his escape.

Walter Hart, who is an inmate in the county jail, is also accused of helping Resiles get out of his shackles before his escape.

Resiles' next scheduled court date is in October.


About the Authors:

Peter Burke returned for a second stint of duty at Local 10 News in February 2014.