One of Hawai'i's worst recent cases of random violence began with the attempted robbery of a taxi driver and disintegrated into a triple homicide at a Tantalus lookout and a home invasion on Round Top.

In a case that HPD Capt. Frank Fujii called a "senseless and heinous crime," homicide investigators believe a lone gunman shot to death the driver of taxi van No. 955 and then killed a married couple who were at the lookout taking pictures with their new camera.

Killed were the taxi driver, Manh Nguyen, 50, and Jason and Colleen Takamori, both 53 of Kapahulu. The Takamoris, sweethearts from their days at Kapi-'olani Community College, were taking pictures of the city lights with a digital camera they bought the day before, according to their only daughter, Lianne Takamori.

After the shootings, investigators believe the suspect drove the taxi van farther up winding Round Top Drive and into the driveway of the home owned by Francine and Joseph M. Gedan, 72, a former U.S. magistrate judge for the district of Hawai'i.

He robbed the couple at gunpoint before fleeing in one of their cars, and was intercepted by police near the intersection of Tantalus and Makiki Heights drives.

SUSPECT IN CUSTODY

Police booked Adam MauGoffredo, 23, on suspicion of carrying a firearm in public, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, first-degree robbery and three counts of kidnapping.

He was under investigation in connection with three counts of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree murder, police said.

He was being held in the Ho-nolulu police cellblock on Alapa'i Street and had not been charged last night.

Police recovered a weapon on Mau-Goffredo but as of last night had not conducted ballistics tests to determine if it was connected to the shootings.

Howard Higa, president and owner of The Cab, said a global positioning system in Nguyen's taxi indicated that he picked up the suspect on 'Ohua Avenue in Waikiki. Higa would not give the time that occurred.

All the company's taxis have GPS, which tracks the cars by satellite. The cars also have "panic buttons" that drivers can push to call for help, but Nguyen's had not been activated, Higa said.

"Maybe, he didn't have time," Higa said.

ATTEMPTED ROBBERIES

Investigators said the suspect drove with Nguyen near the summit of Round Top Drive in Makiki, then tried to rob him.

About 7:15 p.m., police believe Nguyen was shot with a .45-caliber, semi-automatic pistol.

The taxi cab, a brown mini-van, was parked next to a beige-colored Toyota Corolla belonging to the Takamoris. After killing Nguyen, the gunman tried to rob the Takamoris and ended up shooting them, police believe.

Police found Nguyen's body on the asphalt. Colleen Takamori was discovered inside the Toyota. Jason Takamori was found outside the car and was taken to The Queen's Medical Center, where he died.

"We're not sure exactly what transpired," Fujii said. "The person arrested is also the suspect in the murder of the three people at the lookout. We don't have murders like this in Honolulu."

Police yesterday were interviewing witnesses who called 911 just after 7:15 p.m. Thursday reporting a possible robbery.

After the shootings at the lookout, police believe Mau-Goffredo drove to the Gedans' home.

HUSBAND COMES HOME

Sometime later, Joseph Gedan walked into his kitchen looking for dinner and was greeted by a stranger with a handgun.

The intruder ordered Gedan into the bedroom, where he found his wife bound and sitting upright on their bed.

"He said, 'I'm here to take your car and if you make one fast move or resist, I'm going to kill you,'" Gedan said by telephone yesterday. "I was stunned."

In the bedroom, the gunman then bound Gedan's hands and feet with tape and sat Gedan next to his wife.

The robber took money from Francine Gedan's purse, disabled two phone lines and two cell phones before turning off the lights and leaving the house.

In the driveway, the robber ran into the couple's housekeeper, Pattie Dennam. He pointed the gun at her and took her into the den, where he bound her with tape before fleeing in the couple's green Jaguar.

Dennam and the Gedans were able to untie themselves, and Joseph Gedan called 911 on a phone that hadn't been disabled.

About 8 p.m., police arrested Mau-Goffredo at the bottom of Tantalus Drive.

NEIGHBORS GRIEVE

Outside the Makini Street home that Colleen Takamori grew up in and lived in all her life, longtime neighbors and friends, including Darryl and Marlene Dutro, hung flowers on the wire fence surrounding the property and grieved.

Jason Takamori, a plumber by trade, had to retire because of fluid build-up in his knees. But he nevertheless continued to help neighbors with their plumbing problems.

They used to see Colleen opening the gate for Jason as he drove off in the Corolla with his upright bass, heading for a gig, and then come out again to open the gate when he returned.

"They were wonderful people," Darryl Dutro said. "They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Next-door neighbor Susan Sugitani said, "I'm in shock. I'm just hoping that tomorrow when I wake up this will have never happened."

Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com and Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.