$1 million bails set for suspects in Sundberg murder case

GEORGE — Bails for the five men who were arrested in connection with the December shooting death of Jill Sundberg have been set.

The three main suspects in the murder, Gustavo Tapia Rodriguez, 39, of Quincy, Ambrosio Mendez Villanueva, 25, of Quincy, and Julio Cesar Albarran Varona, 25, of Quincy, have been charged with first-degree murder. Each of the three men had his bail set at $1 million.

Two other men, Fernando Marcos Gutierrez, 33, of Quincy, and Salvador Espinoza Gomez, 24, city of residence not listed, are currently charged as material witnesses in connection with the incident. Their bails were set at $100,000 apiece. All five of the men are reported to be illegal immigrants.

Sundberg’s body was located on Dec. 22 near a rest area on the Old Vantage Highway, near George. Police records indicate she had been shot several times in the head and a piece of cardboard was found secured to her body with a knife, which reportedly contained a handwritten message in Spanish. A total of thirteen .40-caliber shell casings were found near the victim’s body.

Grant County Sheriff’s Office investigators were able to make contact with a man who claimed he was with the three main suspects on Dec. 21. He claimed Sundberg and Tapia Rodriguez got into an argument at the Shady Tree RV Park, near Quincy. The witness described the scene in detail.