Posted on: Sunday, June 12, 2005
Slaying shocks neighborhood
By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer
KAPAHULU — Residents of this normally quiet neighborhood were shocked yesterday morning after police arrested 50-year-old real estate salesman Tan "Danny" Lam in connection with the slaying of his wife, Melody, 41.
Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser "He was a nice guy. He was a strong family man. He always wanted to take our kids to the park with him, bicycle riding. He came over and gave us his toys. He brought us food, invited us over."
Honolulu police said they received a call at 5:52 a.m. from a man who said he'd killed his wife. Officers arrived at the scene moments later and found the dead woman and the suspect, who was arrested and taken into custody without incident.
Police would not say how the woman was killed.
Elden Yoshida, 50, who lives across the street from the Lam residence, said he was startled to see numerous police cruisers, an ambulance and a fire engine in front of his home when he got up at 6 a.m. to feed his cats.
He said he was later stunned to find out police had arrested his neighbor on suspicion of murder.
"There was never any inkling of any problems," said Yoshida, who, like Buckman, described Danny Lam as outgoing and talkative. He said the two Lam children, a boy and girl, are active youngsters who played in their yard or rode their bicycles.
"From all outward appearances it was a very normal family," he said. "There was no yelling or loud fights that I was aware of."
But inside the home with the wreath on the front door there was trouble.
According to Danny Lam's brother, Michael Lam, Danny and Melody were in the process of getting a divorce.
Michael Lam said at times his brother had become violent, but that the family had tried to counsel him about it and for the past two months things seemed to have improved between the couple.
"So, we just let them work it out. We never thought it would come to this. If we'd have known, we'd have tried to stop it," he said.
Relatives said the two Lam children were taken to a relative's home yesterday morning. Police booked Danny Lam on suspicion of second-degree murder.
HPD homicide detectives spent several hours collecting evidence at the crime scene. Later, the body of Melody Lam was removed by the medical examiner's office. At around 12:15 p.m. police left the house, pulled down the yellow police tape and drove away.
Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8038.
"I would have never thought somebody like him would do anything like that," said Matt Buckman, 42, who lives two doors down from the Lams' one-story, 3-bedroom, white frame house at 3028 Kaunaoa St.
An officer removes the yellow police tape at 3028 Kaunaoa St. yesterday after a man was arrested in the slaying of his wife.
