Blood test may yield answers in Kahea case

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Honolulu police have sent blood samples recovered from murder defendant Christopher Aki's car to a Mainland lab for analysis to determine if the blood is that of 11-year-old Kahealani Indreginal.

Police still have not found the murder weapon in the Kahealani Indreginal investigation. Adveritser library photo

"We don't know whose blood it is until we have it tested," Kato said. "If it's (Kahealani's) blood, that puts her in the car bleeding."

Blood evidence would strengthen the prosecution's murder case against Aki. According to police, Aki told detectives that he killed the half sister of his fiancé. Aki pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder at his arraignment. His trial is scheduled to begin the week of Feb. 24.

Deputy public defender Todd Eddins, Aki's attorney, declined comment.

Luminol turns greenish-blue when it comes into contact with hemoglobin, an oxygen-carrying protein in red-blood cells. Because luminol also reacts to metals, paints and some cleaning products, lab tests are used to analyze the blood.

Since Aki was charged on Dec. 15, Kato's homicide unit has been conducting follow-up investigations, including the search for Kahealani's six gold bracelets and the murder weapon. Police obtained a warrant to search an undisclosed residence early in the follow-up investigation and received consent to search several others for the jewelry.

In statements obtained by police, Aki admitted to beating Kahealani after she slapped him for spitting food on her while they were eating at a park, Kato said.

But Kato said police have been unable to find the girl's jewelry, which Aki said he tossed in a trash bin, or the "metal pipe" murder weapon that he allegedly threw into Halawa Stream.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8181.