Arrest made in Palolo murder case

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

Police today arrested a former tenant of the 64-year-old apartment manager who was found fatally beaten in his Palolo Valley home last week.

The 47-year-old man, who has no local address, turned himself in to police at 10:35 last night and was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder at 12:10 a.m. today.

Police opened a homicide investigation after finding the body of Edgar Lum of Palolo Valley in the front doorway of his 3404 Kupa'a Drive home on Saturday.

Homicide Lt. Bill Kato said a preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect was recently evicted by Lum and went to Lum's house on June 25 to plead his case.

"He just felt it was very unfair, got really upset and confronted him," Kato said. "There was an argument and he ended up beating him up."

Lum had head injuries and an autopsy done on Monday showed he died from blunt trauma to the head.

Kato said the suspect works as a handyman and had been sought by police since Tuesday.

"We basically had his name and were beating the bushes," said Kato. "His family and friends decided to get together and told him to turn himself in. We wanted to see what he had to say."

Kato said homicide detectives would question the man today for details of the case. Police expect to charge him today, Kato said.

Police said Lum was a former accountant who managed several apartment units. His brother told police he also studied law.