Posted on: Saturday, December 21, 2002

Kahealani's gold bracelets still missing

Advertiser Staff

Honolulu police yesterday continued to search for six gold bracelets that belonged to 11-year-old murder victim Kahealani Indreginal.

Homicide Lt. Bill Kato yesterday said police have been checking pawnshops for the bracelets that Kahealani was believed to have been wearing when she was killed. The body of the 'Aiea Elementary School sixth-grader was found Dec. 13 off the 'Aiea Loop Trail, three days after she was last seen.

Christopher C. Aki, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with Kahealani's death. Aki is scheduled to be arraigned on the charge Monday in Circuit Court.

Police said Aki has confessed to the killing and also said he dumped the bracelets in a trash bin. Finding the bracelets would mean someone other than Aki had knowledge of the girl's murder, police said.

Aki also told police that he beat Kahealani with a metal pipe and then threw the pipe into Halawa Stream, about a half-mile from Kahealani's home at the Pu'uwai Momi housing project. Police divers searched the mouth of the stream Thursday, but were unable to find the pipe.

Kato yesterday confirmed that blood-detecting Luminol was used in an evidence search of Aki's car last weekend, but he would not comment on any findings.

Funeral services for Kahealani will be held tomorrow at Borthwick Mortuary. Visitation is 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday; the service is 6:30 p.m.