Man pleads not guilty in wife's death

Advertiser Staff

A Kapolei man pleaded not guilty yesterday to a charge he strangled his wife and filed an insurance claim in a case originally considered an attempted suicide.

Kenneth Wakisaka, 45, who was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail, entered the plea from O'ahu Community Correctional Center.

His wife, Shirlene Wakisaka, 54, died five days after emergency crews responded to a call from the couple's home on April 5 last year. Prosecutors said Wakisaka signed a release so the woman wouldn't be taken to the hospital.

Eight hours after emergency personnel left, Wakisaka called 911 to report his wife was nonresponsive, prosecutors said. An autopsy showed the woman had been strangled, prosecutors said.