Suspect denies participation in murder of Kapahulu woman

By David Waite
Advertiser Courts Writer

The man accused of murdering a Kapahulu woman last year in a remote mountain area above Makakilo told a Circuit Court jury yesterday that he was never a part of any plan to kill her.

Jason Perry is on trial for two murders.

But once at the cabin, things got out of hand, Perry said.

Perry, 24, is on trial for two murders. He is accused of strangling Tominaga in the back yard of the cabin, then shooting a man named Eddie Fuller on Jack Lane in Nu'uanu less than a week later to prevent him from telling police about the murder.

Perry said he got Tominaga to go the cabin by telling her that he was going to pick up a bulk shipment of crystal methamphetamine and would give her enough to sell to make up for the drugs and money she and her friend, Kaimi Seu, had taken from him at gunpoint three days earlier at Tominaga's home on Brokaw Street.

Perry testified he had been selling crystal meth to Tominaga, 37, for several months before the robbery. He denied prosecution assertions that the gunpoint confrontation resulted from his attempts to start a sexual relationship with her.

He said he sensed something was wrong when Tominaga called him several days before her death, asking to buy half an ounce of the drug for $1,200, which was larger than her usual purchases. He said he was concerned that Tominaga might be "setting me up," either to steal the drugs or help a police sting operation.

Perry said he and his high school friend, Ryan Onuma, who had become partners with him in the drug ring, decided to take a lesser amount of the drug to Tominaga's house.

Perry said that after he entered Tominaga's room, Seu appeared and stuck a shotgun in his face and that Tominaga stole his money and drugs.

He testified that on the night Tominaga was killed, he drove toward Makakilo with Tominaga and Onuma in his car. Perry said that unbeknownst to him, Onuma had made a call to Delaneo "Kawika" Puha, the man who provided crystal meth to them, and told him to meet them in Makakilo.

Perry said that when they arrived at the cabin, Puha was there with three men — Marvin Cadiz, Jamison Mitchell and Andrey Lake. He said that Puha and the others started beating Tominaga and that Lake hit her head with a tree branch 2 to 3 inches in diameter.

"He hit her so hard, he broke the branch," Perry said.

The beating continued until "there was no life left in Tracey," Perry said.

He said he did not try to stop the beating because he was intent on getting the name from her of the man who had held the shotgun to his head.

Perry's lawyer, David Bettencourt, has suggested that Tominaga suffocated after Onuma wrapped seven layers of duct tape around her head during the beating.

But prosecution witnesses have testified that Perry strangled her.

Reach David Waite at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8030.