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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 11:45 a.m., Monday, May 3, 2004

Two men charged in separate killings

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Two men were charged over the weekend with second-degree murder in connection with two separate cases, the deaths of Reuben Kimura and Robyn Mae Nakaji.

Faitele Faitele Jr., 21, also known as Little Bow Wow, is accused of beating Kimura, 25, near a bridge on North School Street on April 25 and throwing his body into Nu'uanu Stream. Kimura’s body was found floating in Honolulu Harbor near Pier 14 at 7 a.m. last Monday.

Ronald J. Howe, 48, is accused of killing Nakaji in a dispute over an ounce of marijuana. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Nakaji died of injuries to her head and neck. Her body was found April 23 at the entrance to a goat farm in 'Ewa.

Faitele and Howe were both arraigned today at District Court.

An autopsy determined the cause of Kimura’s death to be drowning but police investigated the case further because he had head injuries.

On Tuesday, police received an anonymous tip that a homeless man known as Little Bow Wow, who had spider-web tattoos on both hands and a tattoo of a spray-paint-can character on his left calf, had beaten Kimura and thrown him into the stream. A report filed at District Court noted that police located witnesses to the beating on Thursday at 'A'ala Park.

One witness told police he and two other men helped Kimura out of the stream after he had been beaten and thrown in by Faitele. The witness said Faitele told him later that he threw Kimura back into the stream after the group had left, the document says.

Faitele has no permanent local address. His bail is set at $100,000. Howe, 48, was charged Friday.

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