Police still after 3rd Pali suspect
By Peter Boylan and David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writers
Police yesterday continued to scour Wai'anae for Kevin "Pancho" Gonsalves, the third man charged in the fatal shootings Jan. 7 at the Pali Municipal Golf Course, amid concerns that some may be seeking revenge against him.
More than two dozen officers are looking for Gonsalves, who police believe is with his sister Catharine "Cats" Gutierrez. Officers from various Honolulu Police Department divisions, including the elite Criminal Intelligence Unit and Specialized Services Division, are assisting.
GONSALVES
Police are concerned that some may be seeking retribution against Gonsalves for the shooting deaths of Lepo Utu Taliese, 44, and Romilius Corpuz, 40, and the wounding of Tinoimalu Sao, 42, Jan. 7, according to a police source who asked not to be identified because the investigation is ongoing.
Gonsalves has been on the run for eight days.
Police yesterday arrested Gonsalves' girlfriend on outstanding warrants, but said she provided no information that could lead to his capture.
Several days ago they recovered the getaway car used by the shooting suspects, but declined to say if any information was gleaned from the vehicle.
Yesterday, the lawyer for one of the three men indicted said the golf course meeting had been suggested by the victims.
"When the defendants arrived, they were met by a larger group of men than they had expected, and it looked like an ambush to them," said Michael Green, who represents Rodney Joseph Jr. in the case.
Joseph, Ethan Motta and Gonsalves were charged with multiple counts of murder and gun violations in an indictment against them Tuesday.
Although the case is in the early stages, Green said the defense might argue that the shootings were in self-defense or "in the defense of others."
Green said he would join in a request filed yesterday by state Deputy Public Defender Todd Eddins to have the cash-only requirement removed from the $1 million bail the three men would have to post to be released from custody pending trial.
That request probably will be considered Tuesday, when Motta and the other two men are scheduled to be arraigned, Eddins said.
"Further down the line, we will probably ask for a bail reduction or that Mr. Motta be allowed to return to the Big Island on supervised release," Eddins said.
He said Motta, 34, graduated from the University of Hawaii-Hilo in 1999 with a degree in political science and was student body president. He has three children, ages 4, 2 and 1, and works for a company that provides services to special-needs students attending public school on the Big Island, Eddins said.
He declined to comment on possible defenses for Motta.
Meanwhile, two men accused of the July beating of Sao when he was providing security for an illegal gambling operation on Young Street were in court yesterday. Sao is in critical condition at The Queen's Medical Center.
Circuit Judge Richard Perkins told Robert Kaialau III and Solomona "Solo" Nakagawa their case is scheduled to go to trial the week of Feb. 9.
City Deputy Prosecutor Wayne Tashima told Perkins he might have to ask that the trial be postponed if Sao has not recovered enough to testify.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Perkins said.
Advertiser Staff Writer Rod Ohira contributed to this report.
Reach Peter Boylan at 535-8110 or pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com. Reach David Waite at 525-8030 or dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com.
