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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 10:59 a.m., Monday, November 4, 2002

Man charged in Waikiki slaying

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Police last night charged a 39-year-old man with murdering a woman at a Waikiki apartment.

Evidence to support the second-degree murder charge against Donald Barry Marks includes security videotape at the condominium where the woman was killed, according an affidavit filed today in District Court. The affidavit says the tape shows Marks and the victim, Yoko Sanders, 38, on the fifth floor of a condominium at 2509 Ala Wai Blvd.

Marks lives in the same condominium.

The woman is known to be a prostitute, police said.

Despite multiple stab wounds, an autopsy found Sanders died of strangulation. Her head was found in a black plastic bag next to her body early Saturday morning.

The affidavit filed by arresting officer Michael Choy states the videotape showed Sanders leaving an elevator with Marks on Friday night at 11:29 p.m. At 1 a.m. Saturday, Marks was videotaped carrying what appeared to be a large trash bag down the stairs in the lobby area, the affidavit stated.

Videotape again showed the man disposing of the bag in the garage bin.

Police discovered a woman's handbag in the garbage bag recovered from the bin. According to the affidavit, a friend said the bag belonged to Sanders.

Sanders' body was discovered by a friend in unit 504 Saturday at 5:45 a.m. The friend had gone to check on Sanders when she failed to return home to her Mo'ili'ili apartment, police said.

Marks was arrested on suspicion of murder at 7:20 a.m. Saturday. He is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.