Suspect’s statements in Benton County triple-homicide case can be used in trial

A Umatilla man charged in the deaths of three Pasco residents was properly advised of his rights in Spanish, so anything he said to detectives during a nearly three-hour interview can be used in his upcoming trial, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Francisco J. Resendez Miranda, 24, is scheduled to face a Benton County Superior Court jury Nov. 2 on three counts of aggravated first-degree murder.

Prosecutor Andy Miller and Deputy Prosecutor Kristin McRoberts want to use statements Resendez Miranda made to investigators after his Aug. 10, 2014, arrest in Oregon.

The defense on Tuesday questioned if Benton County sheriff’s Detective Lee Cantu — a Latino who grew up in a primarily Spanish-speaking home — was thorough in reading Resendez Miranda his rights and gave the homicide suspect the opportunity to contact a lawyer.

Resendez Miranda was arrested in Oregon on suspicion of kidnapping, one day after the bodies of Abigail Torres-Renteria, Victoria Torres and David Perez-Saucedo were found in a Benton County field off Nine Canyon Road.

Torres-Renteria, 23, Torres, 19, and Perez-Saucedo were all shot to death. Torres-Renteria was almost nine months pregnant.

Resendez Miranda worked with Perez-Saucedo at a Wyckoff Farms property along the Columbia River in Paterson.

Court documents show the slayings might have been in retaliation for a break-in at Resendez Miranda’s apartment. The three victims, along with a fourth person, had gone to Umatilla, possibly to a party, late Aug. 8, 2014.

Cantu said he was assigned to interview Resendez Miranda at the Hermiston Police Department building because the suspect had difficulty understanding English.

Resendez Miranda was told that in addition to the Oregon case, he was being detained and investigated for the deaths of three people who had been abducted from a convenience store in Hermiston.

Judge Bruce Spanner said it was clear Tuesday from Cantu’s testimony that Resendez Miranda was advised in his native language, was able to communicate effectively with the detective and voluntarily gave a statement after signing a waiver of his rights.

Spanner added that it was nothing but speculation for the defense to suggest Resendez Miranda was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the interview.

Resendez Miranda faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted of even one count of aggravated murder.

This story was originally published October 13, 2015 at 10:20 PM with the headline "Suspect’s statements in Benton County triple-homicide case can be used in trial."