Pacheco confessed at scene, police say
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Advertiser Staff and News Services
WAIMEA, Hawai'i — Two fellow police officers and friends of detective Sgt. Albert Pacheco testified in District Court yesterday that he confessed to killing his wife.
Pacheco, 45, has been charged with murdering Cathalene Ann Pacheco Friday evening on Lina-Poepoe Street, near the couple's home in Waikoloa, South Kohala.
Officer Thomas Fratinardo told the court he was at home eating dinner when he received a call from Pacheco.
"He said, 'Tom, this is Albert. I just killed Cathy. I ran her off the road and killed her. Please come, Tom. I'm a sinner, and God will deal with me,' " Fratinardo said.
Fratinardo said Pacheco had expressed concern over the past few months that his wife was spending a lot of time away from home.
Pacheco was off-duty when he allegedly fatally shot his wife after driving his county-subsidized police car into her van, police said.
Cathalene Pacheco would have turned 43 Tuesday. Her friends have said that her husband abused her and that she so feared him she had moved out of the house.
Sgt. Hyland Char was one of the first officers to arrive at the scene after Pacheco used his police radio to report his wife was dead.
Char testified he found Pacheco lying face-down on the ground with his arms outstretched. "He turned to me and he said, 'Hyland, I did it to her good this time. I did it to her good,' " Char said.
The suspected murder weapon, Pacheco's 9mm semiautomatic service pistol, was found in his car, Sgt. Richard Miyamoto testified.
Pacheco, who is also charged with criminal property damage, terroristic threatening and using a firearm in the commission of a felony, pleaded not guilty Monday. Judge Sandra Schutte ordered Pacheco to stand trial, with arraignment set for Jan. 23.
Pacheco, who tried to kill himself Saturday while in police custody, remained under a suicide watch at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center, where he is being held without bond.
Cathalene Ann Pacheco, a mother of five and grandmother who worked as a Realtor associate with Clark Realty Corp., died of multiple gunshot wounds to the head.
