Jonathan David Atalig Untalan's name appears in multiple Guam Police Department investigations, including a drug case connected to the death of Nicolas Moore and two separate robbery investigations reported Oct. 26 that authorities said may be connected.
Untalan was charged Wednesday in Superior Court of Guam with possession of a Schedule I controlled substance with intent to deliver as a first-degree felony and eluding police. Co-defendant Aja Lyrick Lujan faces the same drug charge. Untalan additionally faces a separate charge alleging he committed a felony while on release in another felony case.
Attorney General Douglas Moylan said he asked Police Chief Joseph Carbullido to open an investigation into Moore's death, which he described as a “drug-related homicide.”
Moylan confirmed the investigation into Moore remains ongoing.
Drug case
According to the complaint, GPD responded to Moore's home Oct. 7 and found a scene described as “consistent with possible drug use,” including a plastic pen tube containing burnt residue.
Moore's phone allegedly contained text messages sent to Lujan on Oct. 7, including one in which Moore asked, “Bruh, what did you give me?” His parents told investigators he had been unusually energetic and erratic the previous day, according to the complaint.
Investigators seized two round pills from the bedroom that were suspected to be alprazolam. A field test returned a presumptive “clear” result. Field tests on the pen tube were inconclusive, but the GPD crime lab confirmed the presence of fentanyl on Oct. 13, the complaint states.
Police said a search of Moore's phone under a warrant uncovered messages with Untalan from Sept. 22 through Oct. 7 that investigators allege involved drug transactions.
In a Sept. 28 exchange, Untalan allegedly asked whether Moore still wanted a “blue.” According to the complaint, the reporting officer said the term refers to fentanyl-laced pills or counterfeit oxycodone. Moore allegedly replied yes, and Lujan's email address was provided for payment. After Untalan confirmed receipt, Moore allegedly asked for “five more.”
Another exchange on Oct. 3 allegedly concerned what Untalan had “on a foil.” Later messages discussed meeting at a clinic on Oct. 5.
The complaint states Moore was on pretrial release with electronic monitoring in a separate case involving the death of Michael Castro. Monitoring records showed three clinic visits on Oct. 5 and 6 and a trip to Tumon Sands Plaza to meet his attorneys, according to the complaint.
On Oct. 6, Moore allegedly asked about Lujan's whereabouts and whether they had received “the rest of his stuff.” At 10:40 a.m. Oct. 7, hours after Moore's body was found, Untalan allegedly replied that he was not with Lujan.
Investigators also recovered a deleted photograph that allegedly showed Untalan inside Moore's vehicle on Sept. 20.
The complaint states that Homeland Security Investigations records showed Lujan made three travel reservations from Guam to Hawaii and Haneda, Tokyo, for Oct. 7 and 8. Lujan continues to be sought by police.
The messages also allegedly included Untalan seeking a gun and asking Moore whether he wanted to “help” to “catch a body.” The complaint does not explain what the exchange referred to.
The drug complaint charges the Untalan and Lujan with possession of a Schedule I controlled substance with intent to deliver. However, the alleged transactions involved substances described in the complaint as fentanyl-related, and fentanyl is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance.
Moylan confirmed Friday that “the substances are believed to be fentanyl derivatives.”
When asked why the complaint lists a Schedule I charge rather than Schedule II, Moylan said, “The Schedule I charge reflects the current state of the investigation and may be adjusted.”
Two days after Untalan's arrest, GPD provided a list of offenses that included “expired person: dispensing/delivery Schedule II controlled substance.” That offense was not recorded in Department of Corrections documents at the time of his initial arrest.
Moylan urged anyone with information about Moore's death to contact GPD's Criminal Investigation Section.
Robbery investigations
Police also identified Untalan as one of three suspects in an Oct. 26 purse-snatching at Guam Premier Outlets and the subsequent attempted use of credit cards taken during the incident at Don Don Donki.
According to the complaint in that case, $256.68 in merchandise was abandoned at the store's self-checkout register after multiple credit cards were declined. Two men and a woman allegedly left the store and drove away in a white Toyota Tacoma.
Police later pursued the Tacoma to the Ordot Pipeline area, where its occupants fled on foot into the jungle.
Untalan was apprehended along the pipeline on Tuesday, Oct. 27. At the time, he was being sought in connection with the robbery investigations. However, the charges filed against him Wednesday did not include the alleged purse-snatching or credit card offenses. Instead, he was charged in the drug case and held at the Department of Corrections on $100,000 cash bail.
Jhavanni Sherrae Naputi, 28, was found in the pipeline jungle the morning after the pursuit. She was charged Oct. 29 with conspiracy to commit fraudulent use of a credit card and eluding police, both misdemeanors. She was released on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond.
According to Naputi's complaint, a WhatsApp message indicated that “John picked her up from Toya.” Police identified John as Untalan.
Naputi told officers that Untalan, whom she described as her best friend, ran into the jungle with her while they were being pursued by police. Her complaint states that Untalan was taken into custody along the same pipeline before she was found.
A third suspect, an adult male taken into custody has not been publicly identified by police.
Untalan has not been charged in the credit card case, and the drug complaint does not include any robbery charges against him.
A separate robbery at a Tumon game room was also reported Monday. Police have not confirmed whether that incident is connected to the other investigations, although they previously indicated a possible connection.
On Friday evening, GPD announced it would hold a news conference Tuesday, Nov. 3, where officials would provide “critical updates regarding recent investigations and suspects.”
Separate Case Inquiry
Guam News Network on Friday also asked police about the arrests of Jerald Edward Santos and Jerome Edwin Santos, who are being held at the Department of Corrections on offenses related to manslaughter, aggravated assault and assault. A response from GPD regarding that separate case remained pending as of publication.