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Whatever
Happened...
Question: What is going on with the Sequoya Vargas murder case? Vargas murder
case goes to trial
April 17Answer: A four-week jury trial is scheduled to begin April 17 for suspect Richard Damian Serrano.
He is charged with murder, rape and kidnapping in the 1993 death of Vargas, a 16-year-old student at Pahoa High School on the Big Island.
According to court documents, Serrano picked up Vargas hitchhiking, and they got drunk with Matthew Gibbs of Maui and Jason McCubbins of Hilo.
When Vargas passed out, the three raped her, documents say. When she awoke, they beat her and dumped her over a sea cliff.
In 1996, McCubbins pleaded no contest to manslaughter and kidnapping and Gibbs pleaded no contest to sexual assault. Their sentencing was postponed several times until they could testify against Serrano.
Last year Serrano was found in Mexico and returned to Hawaii. His attorney has said McCubbins and Gibbs are lying about Serrano's alleged involvement.
By Treena Shapiro, Star-Bulletin
Ever wonder what happened to a person, event or issue
that has been in the news? We'll try to find out
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Whatever happened to . . . runs Wednesdays.