After year in jail, 'all this weight has been lifted'
| • | DNA clears former Marine Edmonds of 1975 murder |
By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Staff Writer
Delmar Edmonds sat in the conference room of the state public defender's office yesterday afternoon, less than an hour after he was released from the O'ahu Community Correctional Center and prosecutors announced that they planned to dismiss the indictment against him for the 1975 murder of 13-year-old Dawn "Dede" Bustamante.
Wearing civilian clothes for the first time in more than a year — a gray Old Navy T-shirt, blue denim shorts and white sneakers — the 47-year-old Indiana resident ran his hands through his hair and let out a deep breath.
"It hasn't really sunk in that I'm out yet," said the soft-spoken Edmonds, a truck driver in Indianapolis. "It feels like all this weight has been lifted from my shoulders."
Edmonds has been in prison in Hawai'i and on the Mainland since August of last year when authorities charged him with the murder of Bustamante. He was released yesterday on his own recognizance to await a court hearing Tuesday.
Edmonds was a Marine stationed at the Marine Corps base in Kane'ohe when Bustamante was killed March 14, 1975. She was shot in the head while attempting to flee from a man who had kidnapped and raped her and another 13-year-old girl. The other girl escaped and called police.
Edmonds received a call at 10 a.m. yesterday from his attorney, state deputy public defender Susan Lynn Arnett, that the DNA of sperm samples taken from Bustamante's body did not match those of Edmonds. He was released from the facility shortly before 5 p.m.
"When she called and said they were going to free me from there, I cried for about an hour," Edmonds said. "I must have cried about 10 gallons of water."
Edmonds immediately called his wife, Jannifer, in Indiana and told her he was being released from OCCC.
"She just cried and said come on home soon," he said.
Edmonds said he harbors no bitterness against city prosecutors or Hawai'i because of what happened.
"I just want to move forward and be back with my family as soon as possible," he said.
Edmonds said his strong Christian faith kept him going while in prison, particularly Bible study classes with other inmates.
"I met a lot of good people along the way while being in prison, people who became Christians, too," he said. "The inmates said my being released wasn't just a victory for me, but the others, too."
Edmonds became emotional while discussing how the ordeal has affected his wife of 16 years, and six children, particularly his youngest daughter.
"It's been hard on them, especially my wife and my 7-year-old," he said. "It has been difficult for my wife to explain to my girl why daddy was being taken away. I just asked the Lord to please watch over them while I was gone."
Edmonds said his church, Second Baptist Church in Indianapolis, has supported him and his family during his incarceration.
His pastor had planned to testify at Edmonds' trial as a character witness, and was helping to hold down Edmond's truck-driving job until he was released.
Watching the 6 p.m. newscasts last night on the case, Edmonds and others in the public defender's office groaned when one of the stations said the DNA tests had cast doubt on the prosecutor's case.
"Only cast doubt?" one staff member said.
Another TV station said the DNA test "cleared" Edmonds of the murder.
The newly freed Edmonds made a fist as a sign of vindication.
Reach Scott Ishikawa at 525-8110 or sishikawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.
