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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, December 17, 2002

Suspect in fatal shooting arrested

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Honolulu police yesterday arrested a 24-year-old man at his Kalihi residence on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with Sunday night's shooting death of a Waipahu man between Lumiaina and Waipio Uka streets.

The medical examiner's office yesterday identified the dead man as Eugene Rios, 31.

Rios was reportedly shot once in the neck at 8:20 p.m. during a confrontation stemming from a traffic incident. He went into cardiac arrest while being attended by emergency personnel and was taken to St. Francis-West Medical Center, where he died. Witnesses provided police with information about the suspect vehicle.

The man arrested yesterday is the suspected gunman, police said. He was a front-seat passenger in the car.

Police arrested the driver of the suspect car Sunday night. The 21-year-old man was apprehended at his Makakilo residence on suspicion of second-degree murder at 10 p.m.

No other suspects are at large, police said.

With the swift arrests of the shooting suspects, HPD's homicide unit has made arrests in 21 of O'ahu's 24 murder cases this year.

Honolulu police have closed 44 of 46 murder cases from 2000 and 2001.

The 93 percent closing rate ranks near the top nationally for cities comparable in size to Honolulu, homicide Lt. Bill Kato said.

The three open cases in 2002:

  • Gabriel William Chaney, 28. His body was discovered April 9 at Ala Moana Beach Park.
  • Taaviliga Panapa, 61. His body was found May 20 along Round Top Drive.
  • Eteuati "Eddie" Salevao, 23. Fatally stabbed during an Aug. 18 brawl at Laniakea beach.

The two other open murder cases since 2000 are the July 16, 2000, slaying of 67-year-old Kobi Lewis at her Makaha home by an apparent intruder, and the Jan. 1, 2001, death of Lillian Herring, who was killed in a fire at her Palolo home started by a fireworks rocket.