Posted at 6:18 p.m., Monday, January 7, 2002

Big Island officer pleads not guilty in wife's death

By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Staff Writer

HILO, Hawai'i — A Big Island police officer pleaded not guilty today of charges that he rammed his wife's car near their Waikoloa Village home Friday night and then shot her several times in the head.

Albert Pacheco, 45, a detective in the Hawai'i County Police Department's Criminal Investigation Section in Kona, is charged with second-degree murder, first-degree criminal property damage, first-degree terroristic threatening and using a firearm in the commission of a felony.

At Pacheco's arraignment today, Hilo District Judge Jeffrey Choi ordered that the detective continue to be held without bail at the Hawai'i Community Correctional Center. Choi scheduled a preliminary hearing on the case for Wednesday in Waimea District Court.

Deputy Prosecutor Michael Udovic said the murder charge involves "particularly heinous and atrocious" circumstances, which could mean life imprisonment without parole if Pacheco is convicted.

Udovic said authorities are uncertain exactly what led to the slaying of Pacheco's wife, 42-year-old Cathalene, but there are indications her husband was pursuing her in his car immediately before the shooting.

Police said the tragedy was a result of the Pachecos' marital problems.

The couple have five children, ranging in age from 4 to 23.

Pacheco was off-duty at the time of incident. He joined the Hawa'ii County Police Department in January 1991 after 10 years with the Honolulu police force.

His wife was a Realtor with Clark Realty Corp. in Kailua-Kona.