Police Beat

Advertiser Staff

Man being sought in hotel robbery

Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a man who robbed a couple in their O'ahu hotel room Oct. 14.

An elderly couple was in their hotel room at 9:40 p.m. when they heard a male voice and assumed he was a hotel employee. The robber pushed his way into the room, took the wife's wallet, then punched the husband in the face.

The suspect is described as in his 20s, 6 feet and 160 pounds with an athletic build. He has short black hair, brown eyes, tan complexion, and was clean-shaven, wearing a red T-shirt and dark-colored long pants. Anyone with information should call Detective Taro Nakamura at 529-3382 or CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cell phone.

34-year-old indicted for March shooting

An O'ahu grand jury has indicted a 34-year-old man on a charge of second-degree murder for a March 6 fatal drive-by shooting near downtown Honolulu. Police say Markes Rapoza, 34, fatally shot Earl Hirakawa, 40, as the victim was behind the wheel of a car on North Vineyard Boulevard near 'A'ala Street. Hirakawa died of a single shot from a shotgun.