Suspect M.K.J. was the first to be arrested in the investigations. He was held two days after the killings. He has also been implicated in the robbery of Happy Star Chinese restaurant, also on September 21, 2012.

 

Authorities reportedly found Michael King's credit cards and cell phone inside the getaway car used in that robbery.

M.K. J. confessed to his role in the killing. He was to be led before a Judge to be formally charged. However, Thursday's hearing had to be postponed, because M.K.J. was not duly informed of the hearing's date, as the summons was not handed to him on time.

 

Seeing that M.K.J. had not waived his right to be present at Thursday's hearing, Judge Tamara Tijhuis had no other choice but to declare the summons null and void.

 

The hearing was planned, because a defendant needs to be formally charged within a certain timeframe. This timeframe will expire shortly, M.K.J.'s lawyer Brenda Brooks said Thursday, which means that the Prosecutor's Office will need to make haste in providing her client with the required legal documents. The suspect may have to be released from pre-trial detention in case the Prosecutor's Office would fail to do so.

 

M.K.J.'s trial and that of the other two suspects J.C.M. (17) and J.J.W. (20), who are also said to be suspects in the Happy Star restaurant robbery as well, is scheduled to begin Tuesday, January 22.

 

Prosecutor Georges van den Eshof said this hearing will be largely formal, because the case files have not been completed yet.

 

During the January 22 hearing, the defendant's lawyers will also have the opportunity to ask for the hearing of witnesses and for additional investigations into their client's cases.

 

The actual trial is expected to start late March or April. Members of the Kings' families plan to travel to St. Maarten to attend the trial.

 

The Daily Herald