Ex-US Marine in Pampanga murder case extradited

MANILA, Philippines - A former US Marine wanted for the murder of a retired Northern Ireland policeman and his Filipina girlfriend in Angeles, Pampanga has been extradited from Los Angeles, California.

Timothy Kaufman, who was picked up by Arnold Rosales and Jose Gabriel Jr. of the National Bureau of Investigation’s Interpol division at the Los Angeles Airport on Nov. 14, arrived in Manila on Nov. 16. He was turned over to the Angeles City regional trial court, where he was charged with two counts of murder.

Kaufman is accused of killing Jose Balmer and his girlfriend Elma de Guia on Sept. 1, 2011. His co-accused, Joseph Tramontano, also an American, is still at large, while his Filipino driver, Jesus Santos, has been arrested.

The Associated Press reported that US authorities arrested Kaufman last year near his grandfather’s house in New York.

The bodies of Balmer and De Guia were discovered in the house of a certain Richard Agnew at around 6 p.m.

Police said they are looking at illegal drugs as the motive for the killing.