Christopher Aki, accused of killing 11-year-old Kahealani Indreginal, sits at the defendant’s table with attorneys Leilani Lujan and Todd Eddins during the start of his trial today in Circuit Court. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

Aki sat almost motionless while Honolulu Prosecutor Peter Carlisle, who is trying the case himself, alleged that Aki had beaten the girl several times on Dec. 10, 2002, then left her to die near the 'Aiea Loop Trail.

Carlisle also showed the jury two photographs of the girl’s badly decomposed body, which was found by a hiker three days later.

"There was little left of her face," he said.

Carlisle read numerous statements that the 21-year-old Aki made to police in the days just following Kahelani’s killing. Aki had given them three alibis before confessing late on the same day her body was found, Carlisle said.

The confession came after police delivered a note from his mother that read: "Mom loves you unconditionally and the truth will set you free."

Carlisle said Aki told detectives that he drove Kahealani to see the heiau near the trail and that he had accidentally spit on her mouth.

"We were talking and giggling and laughing and I accidentally spit and she slapped me and I punched her out cold," Aki told police.

Then he used a pole to beat her on the back of the head, Carlisle said.

"I just hit her," Aki said to detectives. "I kept on hitting her. The last time, I poked her on the side to see if she was breathing."

Aki returned to his car and used water he had in the trunk to wash his hands, then waited 10 minutes before returning to Kahealani, Carlisle said.

She was sitting up and Aki struck her again, Carlisle said. But she said something, too.

"Stop it, Chris," Aki told detectives. "That’s when I just lost it again."

Aki hit her several more times, killing her, Carlisle said.

The trial was supposed to begin March 30 but was postponed for two weeks when prosecutors decided to test the DNA of another man who Aki’s defense attorney says is the real killer.

Deputy Public Defender Todd Eddins, whose opening arguments had not been given by press time today, maintains it was Dennis Cacatian, an uncle of the girl, who killed Kahealani. Cacatian has denied any involvement in the girl’s death, and police have said they believe Aki acted alone.

The Prosecutor’s Office yesterday declined to discuss the results of DNA testing of blood found on a watch in Aki’s car, saying they will be submitted as evidence in the case.

Carlisle had asked that the DNA be compared with Cacatian’s.

Cacatian was sentenced March 29 in federal court to 34 months in federal prison for having a rifle magazine that holds more than the legal number of bullets.

He is out on bail, must surrender to federal prison authorities in mid-June and may be called as a prosecution witness in Aki’s trial.

Kahealani was last seen at the Pu'uwai Momi public housing in Halawa, where she lived.

Before then, Aki stood with members of her family and asked for the public’s help in finding her.

Police have said that Aki initially told them that others were responsible for the girl’s death and that he later recanted and took full responsibility.

But shortly after he was arrested and taken into custody, Aki wrote a letter to his mother contending someone else had killed the girl and that the truth about who actually committed the crime would emerge during his trial.