Drowning now called murder
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser staff writer
Faitele Faitele Jr., 21, was arraigned yesterday at District Court on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of Reuben Kimura on April 25.
Faitele, also known as Little Bow Wow, is accused of beating Kimura, 25, near a bridge on North School Street and throwing his body into Nu'uanu Stream. Kimura's body was found floating in Honolulu Harbor near Pier 14 April 26.
Faitele Faitele Jr.
An autopsy determined the cause of Kimura's death to be drowning but police investigated the case further because he had head injuries.
Last 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 found 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 was set at $100,000.
Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8181.
