Witness testimony continues in Dayonte Resiles murder retrial

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The murder retrial of Dayonte “Moochie” Resiles continues Tuesday with more witness testimony.

Resiles is accused of killing Jill Halliburton Su, 59, in September 2014 at her home in Davie.

Her son, Justin Su, found her lifeless body in a bathtub after she had been stabbed to death. She was bound by her hands and feet.

A parade of detectives took the stand on Tuesday as the retrial entered day four. Their police work was called into question on the day Halliburton Su’s body was found.

Defense attorneys attempted to make room for reasonable doubt, insisting Resiles wasn’t the man who committed the heinous crime. Attorneys pointed to the locked doors at Halliburton Su’s home, questioning how the killer escaped.

Fingerprints and DNA was found all over the home, some of which have still yet to be identified, according to attorneys.

Richard Holt, the Twin Lakes Pools manager, testified on Monday. He said he maintained the Su’s house pool in the 10300 block of Southwest 22nd Place and saw Halliburton Su’s son, Justin Su, distraught after the murder.

Detectives considered Justin Su a suspect during the investigation, but he had an alibi for the night his mother was killed, prosecutors said.

“The son came out of the back door screaming something happened to his mother and to call 911,″ Holt said.

Nan-Yao Su, a professor of entomology, had asked his son Justin Su to check on his mother. Justin Su told a 911 dispatcher that his mother had committed suicide.

Prosecutor Maria Schneider is arguing that Resiles went to the home to commit a burglary and killed Halliburton Su.

When Resiles was arrested, he had a criminal record that includes several burglary cases — but he didn’t have a history of violence.

Dr. Rebecca MacDougall, the chief medical examiner, also testified on Monday. She said Halliburton Su suffered 26 sharp force injuries.

Investigators found Resiles’ DNA on a knife at the crime scene and on a robe’s belt that detectives believe someone used to bind Halliburton Su, prosecutors said.

A Davie police officer who was among the first responders to arrive at the home after the crime also took the stand Monday. He said Justin Su appeared to be nervous and distraught.

“He was wearing a T-shirt and it was full of blood,” the officer said about Justin Su, who claimed he performed CPR on his mother after he found her bleeding.

Resiles’s defense attorneys questioned the accuracy of the investigation. Their intent continues to be to plant reasonable doubt about the evidence connecting Resiles to the actual murder.

A surveillance company deleted videos that were relevant to the investigation.

In 2016, Resiles escaped from the courthouse and was on the run for six days. Detectives later determined the plot to escape involved a team of people.

The mistrial was declared in December. If the new jury convicts Resiles of first-degree murder, he could face the death penalty.


About the Authors:

Andrew Perez is a South Florida native who joined the Local 10 News team in May 2014.

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.