Man gets life term in death of woman from New Mexico

Aaron Susa did not say anything at his sentencing in state court Wednesday for the 2009 murder of a New Mexico visitor whose nude body washed ashore on the beach near the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki.

His lawyer, deputy public defender Ronette Kawakami, said Susa remained silent because he is appealing his conviction.

Circuit Judge Dexter Del Rosario sentenced Susa, 33, to the mandatory term of life in prison with the possibility for parole.

Because Susa has felony convictions for drug and drug paraphernalia possession, Del Rosario ordered him to spend at least 10 years behind bars before he is eligible for parole. The Hawaii Paroling Authority can set a longer minimum term.

Del Rosario also ordered Susa to pay $8,344 restitution to his victim’s family for the cost of the funeral.

A jury found Susa guilty of murder in the Oct. 2, 2009, death of New Mexico visitor Bryanne Antone, 25.

The medical examiner said Antone drowned, but her larynx was a broken and she had "strangulation-type injuries" on her neck.

Antone and her younger brother, Benjamin, were in Hawaii with their mother, who was attending an annual American Dental Association convention. The trip was a birthday gift to the siblings from their mother.

Benjamin Antone said he and his sister met Susa in Waikiki while looking for someone to sell them some marijuana.

Susa had just been released from state custody after serving 12 days in jail for violating his probation for a misdemeanor unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle.

He testified that he had sex with Antone in the ocean and that she was alive when he left her on the beach.