Posted at 1:09 p.m., Monday, November 21, 2005
Son: Refusal to buy drugs led to hatchet killing
Advertiser Staff
A Waipahu man accused of using a hatchet to kill his 79-year-old father and critically injure his 78-year-old mother early Saturday morning had asked his father the afternoon before for money to buy drugs, but the request was denied, the suspect's brother told police shortly after his parents were attacked.According to court documents, Stan Kawakami told police he was sleeping in his bedroom about 2:30 a.m. when he heard his brother Mark yelling in the front room where his parents usually sleep.
Stan Kawakami came out of his bedroom and was confronted by his brother Mark, who stood in the hallway holding a hatchet and told his brother that he had just killed their parents and would kill him, too.
Stan Kawakami described his brother as a crystal methamphetamine user who was having mental problems, according to the court documents.
Mark Kawakami drove to the Pearl City police station shortly after the attack, and told an officer there: "I just killed my ... parents, send the cops to my house," according to the court documents.
Mark Kawakami made his initial appearance in court this morning and listened quietly as District Judge Lono Lee set a preliminary hearing for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday to determine if there is sufficient evidence to advance the case to Circuit Court where Kawakami would be tried on murder and attempted murder charges.
