Stabbing suspect linked to 1984 Makiki homicide
By James Gonser, David Waite and Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writers
WAIPAHU — The woman accused of stabbing her caretaker to death Sunday had set a fire in 1984 that killed a man, but she was acquitted by reason of insanity.
Emily Rauschenburg, 55, was charged last night with one count of second-degree murder. Her bail was set at $250,000.
Rauschenburg is accused of killing the owner of the Waipahu care home where she lived. Agapita Alcaraz, 64, was stabbed to death Sunday, allegedly after an argument with Rauschenburg.
Despite a violent history and 17 years in the custody or supervision of the state, no one told Alcaraz about Rauschenburg's background when she moved into the care home in March.
"If someone is going to care for a person like my mom did, they should know all the facts and the background of the person so they are aware," said Beverly Del Rosario, Alcaraz's daughter. "I think if my mom would have known this, she would not have taken her in."
Rauschenburg, 55, who was arrested Sunday on suspicion of murder, has a history of mental problems and drug abuse. She was acquitted by reason of insanity on charges of murder and attempted murder for setting a Makiki rooming house on fire in 1984, according to court records.
Richard A. Paramski, 34, a disabled veteran, was killed in the blaze, while nine others jumped to safety from the second floor. Rauschenburg told a police detective that she started the fire because she had a "beef" with the other tenants and "wanted to see the place burn."
At her trial, four mental health experts all found that Rauschenburg was legally insane at the time of the fire, and then-Circuit Judge Robert Klein committed her to the Hawai'i State Hospital in Kane'ohe.
In January 1988, Circuit Judge Wilfred Watanabe granted Rauschenburg's motion for a "conditional release" which allowed her to make unescorted trips away from the state hospital, in part to attend drug treatment programs and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
Rauschenburg's conditional release status was revoked and she was sent back to the hospital the following year after she violated a number of drug treatment program rules and admitted to a probation officer that she was living on the streets of Waikiki and using alcohol and drugs, court documents show.
But after three court-appointed mental health experts evaluated her, then-Circuit Judge Thomas Kaulukukui conditionally released her from the state hospital in March 1990.
In 1994, Rauschenburg was admitted to Saint Francis West Medical Center in a coma and was released to the Lourdes Ramos care home in Waipahu in March 1995, court documents said.
In August 1996, a senior adult probation officer wrote a letter on Rauschenburg's behalf, saying she appeared to be "an appropriate candidate" for discharge from the conditional release program and from any oversight in connection with the arson case.
Dr. Edward Furukawa reported that Rauschenburg had been taken off all "psychotropic" or behavior-altering drugs and was not a threat to herself or others, according to court documents. He diagnosed Rauschenburg as schizophrenic and said she suffered from mild dementia, most likely caused by the previous coma.
Despite the recommendations, Circuit Judge Frances Wong denied the request in 1997 and ordered that Rauschenburg remain on conditional release status with oversight in her case to be provided by the state probation office and Department of Health.
At the time of the stabbing, Rauschenburg was still on conditional release.
Probation officials yesterday said they not could not comment on Rauschenburg's case. Anita Swanson, the state Health Department deputy director of behavioral health, said privacy laws prohibit health officials from discussing Rauschenburg.
Del Rosario, one of Agapita Alcaraz's five children, remembers when her mother first brought Rauschenburg into the care home last March.
"I talked to my mom quite often and she told me about this new lady," said Del Rosario, who now lives on an outer island. "The place she came from was run by a friend of hers and told her they had no problems. That she was quite independent and would go out daily on her own. My mom thought 'OK, that wouldn't be too hard.' "
Rauschenburg, who weighs an estimated 300 pounds, would take the Handi-Van to work every day, returning in the afternoon for meals prepared by Alcaraz.
According to police, Alcaraz and Rauschenburg had an argument Sunday, possibly about food.
Police said at about 3 p.m. a person believed to be Rauschenburg called 911 and admitted to stabbing someone, but did not say who she stabbed.
When officers arrived at the scene, police said they found Alcaraz fatally wounded and later an upset and angry Rauschenburg holding a bloody knife over the head and saying, "That lady is a crook."
A preliminary investigation showed that Alcaraz was stabbed under her left armpit and once in the back, Homicide Lt. Bill Kato said.
Alcaraz is being remembered by her friends as a loving person who worked hard to provide a comfortable home for her five patients.
"She was always concerned with her patients," said Lydia Deguzman, who operates another care home on the same Waipahu street. "We always talk about our clients care. We shared food and would buy extra for each other if we found good deals."
Alcaraz, a grandmother, lived with her husband and son in the large care home she had run since 1978.
Evelyn Cacal, the assistant secretary for the Adult Residential Care Association, said Rauschenburg received good care. "(Rauschenburg) was given the best care that Mrs. Alcaraz could give. She requested special meals and and she always gave to her. Mrs. Alcaraz never mentioned a problem," Cacal said.
The remaining patients have been moved to other care facilities.
"I'm at a loss for words," Del Rosario said. "Information like this should have been made available to my mom. It's almost the same as people that are charged for sex offenses.
"I know she was my mom, but she was also a great lady. She was always there for all of us."
Advertiser staff writer Curtis Lum contributed to this report.
