Posted on: Sunday, July 28, 2002

Boyfriend held in Wahiawa slaying

By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer

A woman identified as Ruby M. Mabanag, 53, died of stab wounds that police said she received in a domestic dispute at her Wahiawa residence in the 1600 block of Eames Street shortly before 8 a.m. yesterday.

The woman's live-in boyfriend was arrested and faces charges of second-degree murder, police said.

Police said Mabanag identified the suspect, 44, moments before she was taken to Wahiawa General Hospital where she died. "She did remark to the officers that responded that she was stabbed by her boyfriend," homicide Lt. Cliff Rubio said.

According to Mandy Shiraki, district chief of the Emergency Medical Services, the woman had suffered multiple stab wounds to the abdomen. Shiraki said an ambulance responded at 8:07 a.m. and the woman was having heart failure when EMS arrived.

Paramedics attempted to resuscitate her before taking her to Wahiawa General Hospital.

The 44-year-old suspect was arrested at 8:19 a.m. and taken into custody at the Wahiawa Police Station. He was initially arrested on suspicion of attempted second-degree murder, police said, but that was upgraded to second degree murder after the victim was pronounced dead at 9:52 a.m.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.