Seven of the eight men arrested as suspects in the murder of Tracey Mieko Tominaga were released yesterday pending further investigation. The eighth was being held on other drug and weapons charges, with bail set at $1 million.

Tominaga, a 37-year-old Kapahulu resident and Hilton Hawaiian Village worker, was last seen by a friend at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 20.

On Tuesday, police found her body in a shallow grave above Makakilo. She died of strangulation and suffocation, the medical examiner said, and dental records were used to identify her remains.

Six men were arrested Friday afternoon and night and two others shortly afterward.

Homicide Lt. Bill Kato said the first six were "the main guys" in the crime, and police had detained them on suspicion of second-degree murder, kidnapping and hindering prosecution.

The law requires that people arrested on suspicion of a crime be charged within 48 hours or be released. Kato said all eight are likely to be indicted for the crimes, perhaps in about a week.

Homicide detectives now believe Tominaga's death is linked to the Jack Lane shooting that killed Edward Fuller, 40, Kato said. Tominaga also knew a suspect in a Nov. 10 drug-related shooting but police have eliminated any link with that crime, he said.