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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, August 20, 2009

Autopsy fails to find cause of death


By David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writer

Police said yesterday they had not determined what caused the death of a Kaua'i woman who was found dead outside her apartment in Puhi on Monday morning.

Kaua'i police have said they suspect foul play in the death of Lauren Kagawa, 27, whose body was found in the Manawale'a apartment complex just after 7 a.m. Monday.

Kagawa had filed for a temporary restraining order against her ex-boyfriend, former Kaua'i police officer Joseph Bonachita, on July 23, court records show.

Police have not identified Bonachita as a suspect in the case.

Kaua'i Police Chief Darryl Perry said yesterday morning that an autopsy done on Kagawa on Tuesday had not determined the cause of death, and that officials were awaiting the results of toxicology tests.

Up to this point, the case has been classified as an unattended death.

Kaua'i Police Department officials confirmed that Bonachita, 41, was hired in 1991, but could not immediately say when he last worked there.

Court records show that Bonachita was served July 30 with a copy of Kagawa's request for a TRO.

In her petition for the restraining order, Kagawa stated that on March 29 Bona chita sexually assaulted and choked her until "I thought I was going to die." She also wrote that Bonachita broke into her friend's house armed with a knife while looking for her on July 4.

Kagawa also checked off responses indicating that she believed she was in immediate danger of being physically and psychologically harm ed by Bonachita.

A court hearing on the request for the temporary restraining order had been set for Aug. 27.

Bonachita was reached on his mobile phone yesterday afternoon but indicated that he was unable to answer questions because of a poor phone connection. He did not return a subsequent message left on his voicemail.

Police are asking anyone with information on the case to call Detective Joe Adric at 241-1868 or Lt. Jon Takamura at 241-1700.

Advertiser Staff writer Michael Tsai contributed to this report. Reach David Waite at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com.