Davie, Florida — The journey to justice for Jill Halliburton Su’s family unfolded like a harrowing narrative filled with eerie twists and unexpected turns. On September 8, 2014, the oil heiress’s tragic death ignited a complex investigation that would challenge the resilience of her loved ones and test the limits of the legal system.
Jill, who had recently returned from a trip to Malaysia, spent the day resting at her family’s home while her husband, Nan Yao Su, a university entomology professor, left for work. When he viewed live footage from their surveillance cameras around noon, he spotted an unfamiliar figure moving through the house, only for the feed to abruptly cut out. Alarmed, he urged his son, Justin, to check on his mother.
Justin arrived shortly after noon to a disturbing scene. Not only was the surveillance system destroyed, but several personal items were missing, including knives from his room. Searching the house, he discovered his mother submerged in the bathtub, surrounded by bloody water. In shock, he called his father insisting, “My mom killed herself,” but upon closer inspection, he found her hands bound and a cord tied around her feet. The gruesome discovery revealed Jill had suffered over 20 stab wounds.
Law enforcement quickly arrived and found one of Justin’s folding knives at the entryway and another large blade from the bathtub, sparking concern because both had belonged to him. Although it appeared that the home had been ransacked, lead detective Paul Williams suspected it was staged, raising questions about the true nature of the crime. The investigation shifted focus to Justin, as the only direct connection between the victim and the weapons used was his.
After an intense interrogation, during which Justin claimed to have been sleeping in his car that morning, he was ultimately exonerated when surveillance showed him leaving the neighborhood earlier than initially suspected. However, the mystery deepened when, nine days later, DNA evidence linked the crime to Dayonte Resiles, a man with a history of burglaries in gated communities. Unconnected to the family, Dayonte was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
The case took an unexpected turn two years later when Dayonte staged a brazen escape during a court appearance, breaking free from his handcuffs with the help of accomplices and fleeing the building. Authorities recaptured him six days later at a hotel, but the complexities surrounding the case continued to unfold.
In 2021, Dayonte faced trial but was convicted of a lesser charge of manslaughter after jurors deliberated for five days. However, one juror’s objection led to a hung jury, prompting a retrial. This time, prosecutors presented a stronger case that implicated Dayonte in a burglary gone awry that resulted in Jill’s death. Ultimately, he was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The saga serves as a painful reminder of the frailty of life and the extensive efforts required to seek justice in the face of adversity. Prosecutor Maria Schneider noted that the family needed closure, emphasizing the emotional toll such tragedies take on those left behind.