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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, September 18, 2009

Former Kauai police officer arrested on burglary, weapons charges


By Paul Curtis
The Garden Island

LIHUE — A former Kauai police officer was arrested this week on burglary and weapons charges.

Police records show Joseph Genaro Bonachita, 41, of Hanapepe, was charged Monday night with first-degree burglary, two counts of carrying a deadly weapon, two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, illegal transfer of a weapon, and having an unloaded firearm and ammunition in illegal places to have such items.
The arrest came as the result of a grand-jury warrant, according to KPD records.
Bonachita was released after posting $25,000 bail. His first court date was set for Sept. 29.
When reached on his cell phone yesterday, Bonachita declined to comment.
Bonachita was the subject of a temporary restraining order filed by the late Lauren Kagawa, 27, who was found dead in the driveway of her family’s Puhi duplex Aug. 17.
Kagawa’s death was the result of a combination of prescription drugs and alcohol, police said Wednesday.
Police originally suspected foul play in the Kagawa case, and police Chief Darryl Perry said yesterday that investigators are still trying to piece together what happened over several hours from Sunday night, Aug. 16, to Monday morning, Aug. 17.
Anyone with knowledge of Kagawa’s whereabouts during those hours is asked to contact Detective Joe Adric at 241-1868, KPD dispatch at 241-1711, or Crime Stoppers at 241-1887.
In her hand-written filing of the TRO document, Kagawa said Bonachita had sexually assaulted her and choked her neck to the point where she thought she “was going to die.”
Bonachita has not been named as either a suspect or person of interest in the investigation into Kagawa’s death, but has not been ruled out as a suspect or possible person of interest in the case, Perry said yesterday.