Ship's cook indicted in killings of superiors

Advertiser Staff

A man who served as a cook aboard a fishing boat operated by a Taiwan company was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday on charges that include killing the boat's captain and first mate.

The indictment also charges Lei Shi, 21, with taking control of the ship by force or threat of force and performing acts of violence against others on board the ship, endangering its safe navigation.

Shi has been held without bail at the federal detention center since the boat arrived in Honolulu March 18, after the U.S. Coast Guard was called to intervene.

Shi allegedly fatally stabbed the two top officers aboard the boat March 14 after his demands that the ship set sail for Mainland China, his homeland, were rejected. Officials have said that Shi held fellow shipmates at bay for two days, but they eventually overpowered him and regained control of the boat.

Thirty other crew members of the Full Means No. 2, all of whom are citizens of the People's Republic of China, are considered witnesses. They are also being detained without bail at the detention center.

The crew members will be kept there until lawyers for the defense and prosecution finish interviewing them.