The parents of a suspected murder victim from Japan received support from a nonprofit organization whose mission is to assist visitors traumatized by crime, accidents and other adversities.

The Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, founded by the Honolulu Rotary Club in July 1997, helped Hideichi and Fumiko Watanabe with accommodations and meals as they coped with the disappearance of their 21-year-old daughter, Masumi. Prosecutors have charged Kirk Lankford, 22, with killing the woman although police continue to search for her body.

The Watanabes thanked VASH, police, the prosecutor's office, the Pupukea community, and Sunset Beach Elementary School faculty and students for their support. "The people of Hawai'i have been very supportive and comforting during this difficult time," the parents said in a written statement.

Honolulu prosecuting attorney Peter Carlisle said VASH has set an industry standard on how to treat visitor victims, who are faced with unique problems such as being far away from home, not speaking English and not understanding the American or Hawai'i criminal justice system.

"It used to be acceptable to put victims on a plane and say goodbye, but now that's completely unacceptable," Carlisle said. "VASH has made huge strides in recognizing the unique position that visitor victims find themselves in ... by emphasizing the human element, which used to go unnoticed."

Jessica Lani Rich, president and executive director of VASH, said the organization helped 2,028 visitors in 2005, 1,541 in 2006 and 452 through March of this year.

Most are victims of property crimes — theft on the beach, vehicle break-ins and burglaries — but there have been two homicides this year. In addition to the Watanabes, VASH offered support to Canadian family members of Ingeborg Jandura, who was stabbed to death by her husband, Ted Jandura, in February.

The organization lent some support to the sister of Christopher Reuther, a beating victim from North Carolina who died April 24, but the family was seeking assistance VASH could not offer. "At the time, the need they had was to know what happened, so we referred them to the prosecutor's office," Rich said.

VASH's support differs, depending on the case.

It was more moral support for Dr. Tim Noreuil of Missouri, who suffered 30 facial fractures from a beating on Kuhio Avenue; hair care for Yuko Keida, a visitor from Japan whose hair was set on fire at a Kailua bus stop; and dental and medical care assistance for apparent hate-crime beating victim Pam Dise of Oklahoma City, said Rich, citing examples from 2004 cases.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.