POLICE/COURTS
Drug trial ordered for suspect in slayings

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 23-year-old Kailua man who has been arrested in connection with two murders but has not been charged has been ordered to stand trial on drug and gun charges.

Jason K. Perry appeared yesterday before Honolulu District Judge Russel Nagata on charges of illegal storage of a gun, promotion of second-degree dangerous drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of prohibited ammunition.

Nagata found there was enough evidence to send his case to trial.

Perry was ordered to appear in Circuit Court on April 22 for arraignment. His bail was set at $1,000,000.

Perry was charged with the offenses after police arrested him last Thursday in connection with the fatal shooting of Edward Fuller in Nu'uanu on Jan. 26 and searched his car.

Officer Phil Camero testified yesterday that police found 4.567 grams of methamphetamine, a 9 mm Sig Sauer semi-automatic pistol, bullets, a marijuana cigarette butt, a small weighing scale and $6,000 inside Perry's 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue.

Perry also was arrested last week in connection with the strangulation of 37-year-old Tracey Tominaga, whose body was found in a shallow grave above Makakilo on April 2.

He was not charged in the Hunter or Tominaga slayings.

City Deputy Prosecutor Christopher Van Marter and Perry's attorney David Bettencourt declined to comment on the murder arrests.

Perry's father, David, earlier said that his son is innocent and is a victim of mistaken identity.