Husband pleads not guilty of charges over Limes’ murder

Sylvestre Rogopes Sablan yesterday entered a plea of not guilty to all charges over the killing of his wife at their residence in Oleai last year.

At the arraignment, Sablan, through counsel assistant public defender Cindy Nesbit, waived reading of advisement of his constitutional rights.

Sablan, 44, pleaded not guilty to the information charging him with second degree murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and aggravated assault and battery.

Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja set a status conference for Nov. 1, 2016 at 9am.

Assistant attorney general Chester Hinds appeared for the government.

Ana Maria Pialur Limes, 52, a former staff assistant of Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP), was found dead inside her house in Oleai/San Jose on April 20, 2015 at noon. Autopsy showed that she died of a skull fracture due to blunt force trauma.

Police Detective Simon Manacop disclosed in his report that on Feb. 5, 2016, Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent Haejun Park provided him with a report from the FBI laboratory examination.

Manacop said the FBI examination showed that a chemical test for the presence of blood was positive on the physical evidence—the short pants procured from Sablan.

Manacop said the results concluded that “to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty” Limes was identified as a contributor of DNA obtained from the short pants.

The FBI examination report also confirmed that female DNA was present on a sledgehammer and pieces of wooden paddle.

Manacop said examination done on the sledgehammer and pieces of wooden paddle confirm “to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty,” Limes is the source of DNA obtained from both items.

Manacop said physical evidence procured from the crime scene such as the sledgehammer, pieces of wooden paddle, stick from a wooden paddle, along with the clothing procured from Sablan, were sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia for analytical examination.

Manacop said that, on April 20, 2015 at 12:12pm, Sablan’s brother, Joaquin, called the Department of Public Safety’s emergency line and requested the police to check on Sablan’s residence.

Joaquin reported that his nephew mentioned about finding Limes inside her house lying down in a pool of blood.