Aki murder trial winding down

By David Waite
Advertiser Courts Writer

The jury in the murder trial of Christopher Aki is expected to begin its deliberations today and will have the options of finding Aki guilty as charged, guilty of the lesser offense of manslaughter or not guilty.

AKI

Aki is charged with second-degree murder, which carries a mandatory life term with parole. Manslaughter carries a prison term of up to 20 years.

The prosecution contends Aki beat 11-year-old Kahealani "Kahea" Indreginal to death with a pipe in December 2002, a day after he spent several hours smoking crystal methamphetamine with two of his friends. The girl was the half-sister of Tanya Mamala-Tumbaga, Aki's former girlfriend and the mother of his son.

But the defense claims the girl's uncle, Dennis Cacatian, killed her after she went with Aki to a state park at the top of 'Aiea Heights to confront Cacatian about touching her inappropriately.

The defense claims that Cacatian flew into a rage and stabbed the girl before smashing her in the head repeatedly with a 40-pound rock. Cacatian, who asserted his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination, declined to testify. He has denied playing any part in the girl's death.

Kahealani Indreginal, an 'Aiea Elementary School sixth-grader was last seen Dec. 10, 2002, near her family's apartment in the Pu'uwai Momi public housing complex in Halawa.

Her beaten and badly decomposed body was found off the 'Aiea Loop Trail three days later.

Aki first told police he had nothing to do with the girl's death, then blamed it on two of his acquaintances and finally confessed to killing the girl by himself.

But when he took the stand in his own defense last week, Aki said he falsely confessed because Cacatian put a gun to his head and threatened to kill him and his entire family if he told the truth.

Reach David Waite at 525-8030 or at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com.