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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 10:29 a.m., Thursday, January 3, 2002

Dead woman in burnt van mystifies police

By Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writer

Honolulu police detectives are still investigating the mysterious death of a woman whose body was found inside a burning van in Kunia on New Year's Eve.

The woman was identified as Dawn Ubando, 40, said police homicide Lt. Bill Kato.

The case has not been classified as a homicide, leaving the 2001 tally at 26 homicides for O'ahu, two more than the previous year, Kato said.

Firefighters found Ubando's body when they responded to a fire just after 6 a.m. Monday at Garst Seed Co., 98-880 Kunia Rd. When they arrived, they found a 20-passenger bus, a compact pickup truck and a passenger van all on fire. Ubando was in the van.

"She didn't have any obvious blunt trauma that would have caused her death, no bullet holes or stab wounds," Kato said. "But she was burned very seriously."

Kato said an autopsy by the Honolulu Medical Examiner indicated that Ubando might still have been breathing at some point during the fire. Some of her clothing also was recovered and tests will be done to see if had been soaked in a flamable substance, although even that would not mean Ubando was a victim of foul play, Kato said.

Ubando's husband, who works for the seed company, told police that he sometimes spent the night at the farm because of ongoing problems with thefts and wild pigs, Kato said. He said his wife often spent the night with him, sleeping in the van.

"We are not sure what she was doing in the van," Kato said. "It is very suspicious, but right now there is nothing obvious."

Reach Mike Gordon at mgordon@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8012.