Man allegedly stabbed 14 times before his body and home were set on fire | Guam News

Two men have been accused of stabbing Ryan Chaco 14 times and burning his body at Chaco’s home last month.

Following their arrest Wednesday, Eithen Mendiola, 25, and Frank Reyes, 24, now face criminal charges in Guam Superior Court in connection with the death of Ryan Chaco, whose stabbed and burned body was found at a residence in Dededo on September 17, 2017. 9.

According to a magistrate’s complaint filed in Superior Court, Guam police found Chaco’s body, which had been “burned and charred by the fire.” An autopsy revealed that Chaco had been stabbed 14 times in the chest and neck, causing his death to be classified as a homicide.

A subsequent investigation involved a meeting between police and Chaco’s family members, neighbors and close associates, the complaint states. GPD then met with a person of interest, a man, who was interviewed and explained that he, Mendiola and two others had gone to Chaco’s home on September 8 to remove car parts from a disabled Nissan Pathfinder .

“When they finished getting the parts they needed and were ready to leave, Ryan insisted that Either spend the night and train with him,” according to the complaint.

After the person of interest and others left, he said he later saw Mendiola, Mendiola’s mother and Reyes talking together in the parking lot of the Wyndham Garden in Tamuning.

The complaint states that during their investigation, police learned that Mendiola had developed a friendship with Chaco and that the two had “trained together.”

“The police learned that on the night of September 8, 2024, (the) victim had made unwanted sexual advances towards (the) defendant and that an altercation therefore ensued. During the altercation, ( the) victim strangled (the) defendant from behind, when (the) defendant took control of a nearby knife and pushed it backwards towards (the) victim to free himself from the strangulation. ” the complaint states.

Mendiola and Chaco then confronted each other and continued their fight before Mendiola stabbed Chaco in the chest and Chaco fell to the ground, lifeless, the complaint adds.

Mendiola then left the residence and contacted 911, but, according to the complaint, Mendiola “did not know exactly where he was” and later met Reyes and confided in him what had happened.

“Frank Reyes did not agree to alert the police and told (the) defendant that he would handle the situation on (Mendiola’s) behalf,” the complaint states.

Reyes was later questioned by police following Reyes’ waiver of his Miranda rights. Reyes then admitted to receiving a call from Mendiola’s mother regarding Mendiola. Reyes, according to the complaint, also told authorities “that he had a deep relationship with Eithen since high school and considered himself Eithen’s protector.”

“Frank Reyes admitted to meeting with Eithen to discuss what was troubling Eithen, including what Eithen did to cause the victim’s death. Frank Reyes admitted to bringing a can of gasoline to the victim’s residence to settle the matter,” the complaint states.

The complaint states that Reyes also allegedly took marijuana from the Chaco residence, before setting it on fire.

“Frank saw movement when he approached the victim’s residence and became concerned that (the) victim was not deceased. However, Frank looked into the living room and (the) victim appeared lifeless. Frank Reyes admits to pouring gasoline on the door and “He threw the container where (the) victim was lying and set it on fire. Frank Reyes admitted to doing this to protect Eithen from the victim’s death,” according to the complaint.

Mendiola was charged with murder as a first-degree felony and aggravated assault as a second-degree felony with special allegations involving use of a deadly weapon.

Reyes was charged with arson as a third-degree felony and desecration, obstructing the operation of government and destruction of evidence as misdemeanors.

Mendiola and Reyes were held at the Department of Corrections on $200,000 and $10,000 cash bail, respectively, while awaiting trial.

The attorney general’s office revealed in the magistrate’s complaint that Mendiola and Reyes had criminal records.

Mendiola was convicted of felony misdemeanor in 2017, while Reyes was convicted of felony assault in a case filed in 2024. Reyes also had a warrant out for his arrest for failing to appear at a court hearing. court for the 2024 case.