Suspect in Kahealani murder shows no signs of addiction
By David Waite and Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writers
A man accused of murdering 11-year-old Kahealani Indreginal two weeks ago remains under observation in the Oahu Community Correctional Center's mental health unit, but has shown no signs of drug withdrawal problems, Deputy Warden Francis Sequeira said yesterday.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser
Christopher Clayburn Aki pleaded not guilty yesterday in Circuit Court to a charge that he murdered the half-sister of his fianceé.
Christopher Aki, accused of killing Kahealani Indreginal, pleaded not guilty in Circuit Court yesterday and has shown no symptoms of drug withdrawal.
Aki, 20, is charged with one count of second-degree murder.
Accompanied by several guards, Aki entered his plea via video teleconference from O'ahu Community Correctional Center.
Circuit Judge Dan Kochi set his trial for the week of Feb. 24, but Aki's lawyer, state Deputy Public Defender Todd Eddins, said that almost certainly would be pushed back as the case progresses.
The girl disappeared Dec. 10 from her home in the Makalapa housing complex. Her body was found Dec. 13 by a hiker along the 'Aiea Loop Trail.
Aki is being held in lieu of $5 million bail.
As part of the intake process at OCCC, detainees awaiting trial routinely are screened for drug use and mental health problems.
"We have no information about a crystal meth problem," Sequeira said. "He hasn't shown any signs of withdrawals or anything that our staff has been notating on him.
"That's usually a telltale sign of some type of a drug problem, but he hasn't shown anything like that.
If he has a history of it or whatever, we haven't deciphered yet, because he really isn't saying too much about his situation with us."
According to a police source, Aki told police he used crystal methamphetamine the day before he allegedly killed Kahealani.
