Man allegedly killed at Manoa home

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

An investigator with the city Medical Examiner's Office grew marijuana at his Manoa home, murdered a man at the house Friday, then disposed of the body, according to city prosecutors and police.

Gregory Awana

Jody Awana

Yorck Woita

Gregory Awana also was indicted on related charges of a firearms offense, auto theft, second-degree criminal property damage and first-degree commercial promotion of marijuana. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Jody Awana is free on $100,000 bail.

City Deputy Prosecutor Vickie Kapp told Circuit Judge Dan Kochi yesterday that Gregory Awana was growing marijuana and killed a person he was having a dispute with. Woita's body has not been recovered.

Kapp also said the wife helped her husband remove marijuana and "bloody items" from the home.

The Awanas will be arraigned later.

The indictment alleges that Gregory Awana possessed a firearm, did not have permission to drive the 2000 Nissan XTerra that Woita was driving and caused damage to the car.

The XTerra was found burning at 9:05 p.m. Friday in Waimanalo.

According to a police affidavit filed at District Court, Gregory Awana confessed to killing Woita.

Two witnesses said Woita and Gregory Awana met in Kailua at about 4:45 p.m. Friday, the affidavit said, and later appeared to be arguing in the XTerra.

Gregory Awana rode back to his rented O'ahu Avenue home in Manoa in Woita's XTerra, and the two entered the house at 5:35 p.m., the affidavit said.

Woita told a friend by cell phone while he was in the house that Gregory Awana had a gun, the document said.

Gregory Awana was arrested Sunday at the Kapa'a Refuse Transfer Station after he allegedly dumped garbage bags containing old marijuana and white-colored towels with stains that appeared to be blood.

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