The man charged in the brutal murder of a Waianae teacher Friday said nothing in his first appearance in court this morning.

Tittleman Fauatea, 25, listened quietly as a charge of second degree murder of Asa Yamashita, 43, was read to him.

District Judge Paula Devens advised Fauatea to say nothing at the initial appearance and set a preliminary hearing in the case for Wednesday.

Deputy Public Defender Christian Enright represented Fauatea at the brief hearing. He declined comment on the case outside court.

Dressed in a white jail jumpsuit and shackled at the wrists and ankles, Fauatea was led from the court by deputy sheriffs. He is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.

According to a police affidavit, Fauatea stabbed Yamashita multiple times as she sat on a bench at the Ewa Town Center Friday afternoon.

He allegedly used a foot-long knife bought earlier at the nearby Longs Drugs store, according to police.

Yamashita, the mother of two girls, was later pronounced dead at Hawaii Medical Center West.

Fauatea was arrested by police on Fort Weaver Road shortly after the attack.

The knife allegedly used in the attack was recovered in bushes nearby.