Posted at 7:45 p.m., Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Two charged with murder in McCully strangulation
By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer
Sistine "Paco" Rangamar, 27, and Curtis Ray Brooks, 32, each were charged with second-degree murder, robbery and kidnapping.
Bail for each was set at $750,000. They were scheduled to make an initial court appearance this morning.
Rangamar was arrested Monday at 1865 Kamehameha IV Road. Brooks was arrested at 9:50 p.m. Monday.
The body of Ted Hiroshi Arifuku was found Jan. 15 in his McCully studio apartment.
An autopsy determined that Arifuku was strangled, and it listed the manner of death as homicide. The medical examiner also found that Arifuku had multiple, nonfatal blunt facial injuries.
Arifuku's hands were tied behind his back. His landlord discovered the body lying face-down when he entered Arifuku's apartment at 2526 Kapi'olani Blvd. to do scheduled maintenance work at 9:14 a.m. on Jan. 15.
Arifuku was last seen alive at 9 a.m. Jan. 13 by neighbors in the building's parking lot.
Police said there was no evidence of forced entry or indication the apartment had been burglarized.
Brooks was previously arrested in connection with the case, but released.
Rangamar has one prior conviction for trespassing in 2003, according to the Hawai'i Criminal Justice Data Center.
Reach Peter Boylan at 535-8110 or pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.