DUCHESNE COUNTY, Utah — Fifteen months after fleeing the country, the suspect in a gruesome murder in Roosevelt is breaking his silence and says he was framed.
Henry Cito Piano Resuera Jr., 38, is charged with aggravated murder and other offenses in connection with the death of his neighbor, 60-year-old Kimberly Hyde. She was found dead in her car on Oct. 7 in Vernal, nearly 40 miles from her home. Her body showed signs of blunt force trauma and numerous stab wounds.
Police said Resuera was seen on camera walking toward Hyde's home that afternoon, then later driving Hyde's car. Resuera had his son come and pick him up in Vernal, where he left Hyde's car. Police said Resuera's son and wife told them that Resuera confessed to killing Hyde before having his son drive him to the airport, and then he flew to the Philippines.
Resuera recently reached out to East Idaho News after seeing an interview with Hyde's family. He agreed to an interview with Nate Eaton, in which he said he is innocent.
WATCH: One year later, family still awaiting justice for murdered Roosevelt woman
“I can’t be silent for too long. The other side of the story must be known. I don’t know what will happen next, but I just put my trust to God as I know I am telling the truth and that I am innocent,” Resuera said.
Resuera said that earlier in the day of Hyde's murder, he got multiple calls from an unknown phone number. He ignored the calls, then received a friend request from an anonymous account on Facebook (named "Jaz Utah"). He said that account then called him via Facebook Messenger, and he learned that it was Michael Hyde, Kim's husband.
According to Resuera, Michael asked him to do him a couple of favors: First, opening a gate at his home so someone could come pick up an item he was selling. He said Michael gave him the garage code so he could get in.
Resuera claims that later that same day, Michael asked him to drive Kim's car to pick someone up — whom he believed would be Kim and his own wife. He said Michael then changed the instructions and said "they" had been picked up by someone else and were going to Ashley Regional Women's Health in Vernal. While driving toward Vernal, Resuera said he heard what sounded like someone struggling to breathe. He said when he looked back, he saw Kim buried underneath a pile of boxes and bags. He said she was tied up, blindfolded, had her mouth covered in tape, and there was a lot of blood.
He said he then panicked and called Michael multiple times, who didn't answer. He then called his son and had him pick him up and take him home, leaving Kim's car on the side of the road in Vernal.
Later that night, Resuera says he talked to Michael. He said Michael asked him: “Why are you still here?”
“I told him, ‘I can’t leave my family, Mike,'" Resuera said. "He said, ‘If you really love your family, you must leave.’ I asked him, ‘Who did it?’ He told me two names, Monde and Julia. I asked him, ‘Do I know them?’ He said, ‘You don’t know them.’ I asked, ‘Where are they now?’ He replied, ‘They’re still here.’ I asked him, ‘Why me, Mike?’ He bowed his head. At that moment, I started to cry in front of him."
Resuera says his wife and son have also moved to the Philippines now. He said there is "a story" behind them telling police that he confessed to the murder, but he would not elaborate.
He wrote a letter to Vernal Police, asking them to investigate deeper. He also wrote to President Donald Trump, insisting on his innocence and asking him for help.
The full interview and letters can be found on East Idaho News' website HERE.
