Man may be third Pali shooter
By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer
Police now believe three weapons were used in last week's fatal shootings at the Pali Municipal Golf Course and the man they are searching for may be one of three shooters, a police source close to the investigation said yesterday.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser
The source, who did not want to be identified because the investigation is ongoing, said 33-year-old Kevin "Pancho" Gonsalves may be the third gunman. Two of the three men gunned down at the Pali golf course on Wednesday told police that Rodney Joseph and Ethan Motta shot them, according to a police affidavit.
Murder suspect Ethan Motta, left, pleaded not guilty yesterday. He was was represented in court by public defender Martin Bento, right.
Attorney Michael Green, who represents suspect Rodney Joseph, unsuccessfully sought to have his client's $1 million bail reduced.
Police recovered .22-caliber and .38-caliber shell casings at the scene. At first police thought two weapons were used — one .22 and one .38. Tests show that the .38-caliber casings came from two different pistols, the police source said. No weapons have been recovered.
The shootings were the result of a turf war between groups that provide protection for illegal gambling houses, a police source said.
Police said yesterday they think Gonsalves is in the company of his sister, Catharine "Cats" Gutierrez. She is wanted on a probation revocation warrant for a dangerous drug conviction.
Officers from HPD's elite Criminal Intelligence Unit, an outfit that handles high-profile cases such as organized crime and terrorism, are assisting homicide detectives in their search for Gonsalves. Police said they have fielded several reports of Gonsalves sightings during the past few days, but so far, none have panned out. Officers continue to search around the clock for Gonsalves, a man they describe as armed and dangerous.
At the golf course Wednesday, Lepo Utu Taliese, 44, was shot several times in the chest and belly. He died at The Queen's Medical Center. Romilius Corpuz, 40, was shot in the head and pronounced dead at Castle Medical Center.
A third man, Tinoimalu Sao, 42, was shot in the head and remained in critical condition yesterday at Queen's.
Police said yesterday they think Kevin "Pancho" Gonsalves is in the company of his sister, Catharine "Cats" Gutierrez.
Although critically wounded, Taliese and Sao managed to identify their assailants to police. Both said they had been shot by Joseph and Motta, according to the affidavit filed Thursday in support of the arrests Wednesday.
Joseph, 35, and Motta, 34, pleaded not guilty yesterday. Joseph, of Makaha, and Motta, of Hilo, Hawai'i, are charged with one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, one count of second-degree attempted murder and firearm offenses.
The attempted-murder count is in connection with the shooting of Sao.
District Judge Bert Ayabe confirmed bail at $1 million and denied a request by attorney Michael Green, who represents Joseph, to reduce it. Motta was represented by public defender Martin Bento. Attorney Reginald Minn was in court today with Motta's family but said he was "an observer."
Preliminary hearings for Joseph and Motta are scheduled for tomorrow at District Court.
Advertiser Staff Writer Rod Ohira contributed to this report. Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8110. Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8181.
