US judge clears way for extradition of ex-Marine in PH killings

US Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to make a decision on whether to surrender former Marine Timothy Kaufman to Philippine authorities after Magistrate Randolph Treece ruled that the evidence linking him to the murder of a couple in Manila was sufficient. AP FILE PHOTO

ALBANY, New York —A federal judge says there is enough evidence against a former US Marine charged with killing a couple in the Philippines to have him extradited.

Magistrate Randolph Treece ruled Wednesday that the evidence against Timothy Kaufman was sufficient to sustain the charges against him. Treece ordered Kaufman detained until US Secretary of State John Kerry makes a decision on surrendering him to Philippine authorities.

Kaufman is one of three men charged with the 2011 killing of a retired Northern Ireland police officer and his girlfriend. Kaufman has testified that he was not involved in the killing of 54-year-old David Balmer and 26-year-old Elma de Guia in the home of a local club owner.

The 35-year-old Kaufman has been in jail since he was arrested in April in the Albany area.