Double-homicide suspect Michael Registe tries to suppress evidence he fled the country in 2007

Michael Registe, charged in the July 20, 2007, double homicide that left Bryan Kilgore and Randy Newton Jr. dead in the parking lot of Columbus’ Cross Creek apartments, is asking the court to suppress evidence he fled the country to avoid prosecution.

In the motion filed today in Muscogee Superior Court, Registe’s Atlanta attorney Manubir Arora argues that Registe was unaware authorities were looking for him when the suspect left Columbus July 21, 2007, to fly to the Caribbean island of St. Thomas.

After being named to the FBI's most wanted list, he was arrested Aug. 27, 2008, on the island of St. Maarten, in the Netherlands Antilles.

Arora claims Registe for months had been residing on St. Thomas, and in the summer of 2007 came to Columbus to visit his son, even though he faced charges here dating back to 2005.

“Purportedly, defendant Registe left Columbus, Ga., to avoid prosecution on indictments from 2005 that are still pending against him,” Arora wrote. “These earlier indictments have no relation to the case at bar. Defendant Registe was on bond on these 2005 indictments.”

Though Registe should have known authorities here already had warrants for his arrest, that has nothing to do with the double homicide, Arora wrote. When the suspect left Columbus the day after Kilgore and Newton were killed, he did not know he was wanted for those slayings, the attorney said.

Georgia allows prosecutors to introduce flight as circumstantial evidence of guilt, but it requires a factual analysis of such evidence before it’s introduced at trial, Arora said, arguing that the facts in Registe’s case don’t prove he knew he was wanted for the double homicide.

So Arora wants such evidence excluded, claiming, “admission of flight evidence would inherently place knowledge of culpability into the mind of defendant Registe. The obvious and severe prejudice that would pervade the province of the jury should evidence of flight be admitted is palpable.”

Prosecutors say Registe’s previous criminal charges include aggravated assault, breaking into vehicles and selling drugs.

In November 2005, while in possession of cocaine, marijuana and Ecstasy, Registe shot a man in the head, arm and leg, authorities say.

Registe pleaded guilty in June 2002 to charges of possessing marijuana with intent to distribute and obstructing a police officer. He was sentenced to three years in prison for those offenses, records show.. In December 2000, he pleaded guilty to entering an automobile and possessing tools for the commission of a crime, and was sentenced to a year in prison, court records show.

This story was originally published May 20, 2011 at 1:46 PM with the headline "Double-homicide suspect Michael Registe tries to suppress evidence he fled the country in 2007."