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These were the words Rusty Rusauo said in Guam’s Superior Court through a Chuukese interpreter. Mr. Rusauo was found guilty of stabbing his cousin Stanley Soulike back in 2019.
He was found with blood on his hands, feet, and clothing. It was reported that both Rusauo and Soulike were playing with a machete when Rusauo struck Loulike in the leg. Police found Rusaouo a mile away from where the stabbing occurred. Rusauo was highly intoxicated at the time.
Defense attorney Heather Zona asked the court to sentence Rusauo to two years in prison.
“What this really comes down to is a terrible, tragic accident,” said Zona. “What we have here is a situation due to excessive intoxication had led to a death. He has lost the love, the care, the companionship of his brother and he will have to live with that every day.”
Anenore Soulik, the person that brought both Soulik, the victim and Rouruk to Guam when they were teenagers, asked the court to be lenient as it was unintentional.
Judge Barcinas sentenced Rusauo to eight years in prison, with four years suspended.
He will also be placed on four years of parole after he is released, and will have to pay a $5,000 fine.
Rusauo was initially indicted on charges of murder, but he pleaded guilty to lesser charges in an information that included aggravated assault and negligent homicide.
“To my brothers, sisters, father and mother, please forgive me for causing the loss of a beloved one in our family. It was not my intention to take my brother’s life. That is why I am begging for your forgiveness. I speak the truth. I am grieving, too. I mourn the loss of my brother,” he stated. “I do too feel extremely remorseful for what I did that day. I feel bad for putting my family through this, most especially for the sin I have committed before our heavenly Father. It was not my intention. I was under the influence of alcohol. That is why I beg you all to please forgive me. I understand I have caused you all pain and suffering because of what I have done.”
Rusauo