Ex-tenant charged in Palolo killing

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 47-year-old man charged in the fatal beating of his former landlord told police he repeatedly struck the landlord on the head with a can of food because of an eviction dispute last month, according to a police affidavit.

Police yesterday charged Wesley K. Chong with second-degree murder and set his bail at $150,000. Authorities accuse Chong of breaking into the Palolo Valley home of his former landlord Edgar Lum, 64, and fatally beating him on June 25.

Lum suffered head injuries, and an autopsy indicated that he died from blunt trauma to the head.

According to the affidavit, Chong contended that he had an unwritten agreement with Lum to do repairs on Lum's properties in exchange for free or reduced rent and that he was upset over his June 25 eviction from 2457 Lamaku Place in Palolo Valley.

That same day, Chong decided to confront Lum at his 3404 Kupa'a Drive home and used a knife to pry open Lum's garage door after Lum failed to answer repeated knocks, the affidavit said.

When Lum opened the front door, Chong punched his landlord in the face, causing Lum to fall, the affidavit said. Chong then repeatedly struck Lum on the head with a can of food, the document said.

After he believed that Lum had stopped breathing, Chong pulled him out of the doorway and closed the front door, unaware if the landlord was dead at that point, according to the affidavit. Chong also took Lum's car keys and wallet from within the residence before leaving, the affidavit said.

According to the Hawai'i Criminal Justice Data Center, Chong has 13 nonfelony convictions dating back to 1972 for such offenses as driving under the influence of alcohol, domestic abuse and harassment.

Chong turned himself in to police at 10:35 Wednesday night and was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder at 12:10 a.m. Thursday.

Chong knew Lum for approximately four months and said he was Lum's tenant for almost three months at Lamaku Place, the affidavit said.

Police opened a homicide investigation after finding Lum's body in his home on Saturday.

Homicide Lt. Bill Kato said earlier that Chong, who had been sought by police since Tuesday, believed that the eviction was unfair. Kato said friends and family persuaded Chong to turn himself in to authorities.

Police said Lum was a former accountant who managed several apartment units. Lum's brother told police that Lum also studied law.