Police Beat

Advertiser Staff

Man to stand trial on murder charges

A 52-year-old Kalihi man was ordered to stand trial on second-degree murder charges after his 16-year-old son testified in District Court yesterday that he saw his father kneeling over his mother in a bedroom of their Bannister Street home with a bloody knife in his hand.

Florencio Garperio is accused of stabbing his 47-year-old wife, Mercy, following an argument.

District Judge Tenney Tongg found there was sufficient evidence to order Garperio to stand trial in Circuit Court.

Garperio's lawyer, Dale Bennett, said after yesterday's court hearing that Garperio lost his job as a cook about 10 days ago, has lived in Hawai'i for about seven years and has no prior criminal history.

During the hearing, Bennett said he will ask the court to order that Garperio be examined by a panel of mental health experts.

Police looking for bank card thieves

Authorities are asking for the public's help in finding three men who broke into a vehicle that was parked Sunday at the Arizona Memorial. Police said the men broke into the vehicle at about 9:30 a.m. The thieves then used a stolen bank card at an ATM about an hour later in Waikiki.

The first suspect was in his early 30s, with a slim build, mustache and a tan complexion. The second also was in his early 30s, with a muscular build, a dark complexion and mustache. The driver of the thieves' pickup truck was described as a big man wearing a red baseball cap.

Anyone with information can call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.

Men threatened with screwdrivers

Police arrested a 31-year-old woman who allegedly threatened two men with screwdrivers during a dispute Wednesday in Wai'anae.

The woman started chasing her boyfriend with a screwdriver, police said. When her brother tried to intervene, she took another screwdriver from her bag and began to swing both at his face, police said.

Police arrested the woman on suspicion of first-degree terroristic threatening.

Three arrested in Kailua drug raid

A SWAT team and canine unit raided a Kailua home Wednesday night and arrested three people on suspicion of drug offenses.

Police said they searched the home on Kihapai St. and found more than 2 grams of crystal methamphetamine and cash.

They arrested a man, 59, and two women, 34 and 23, on suspicion of third-degree promotion of dangerous drugs and drug paraphernalia charges.