Murder defendants Joshua Williams and Michael Connolly dismembered victim Jamil Khan and put his remains in a trash bin, a prosecutor said in court yesterday.

Williams, 25, and Connolly, 29, were indicted by the O'ahu grand jury on charges of murder, arson, auto theft and drug offenses. They were ordered held on $2 million bail.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Keith Seto said both defendants and Khan, 24, were growing marijuana out of a home in Makakilo and became involved in a "dispute over drug money and the way the marijuana operation was being operated."

Williams and Connolly decided to kill Khan when he went to the Makakilo home earlier this month, Seto told Circuit Judge Richard Perkins.

Khan "was essentially ambushed by both defendants" and beaten to death with a hammer, Seto said.

"After he was dead, they dragged him to the upstairs bathroom where they essentially dismembered him, cutting off his arms, his legs and his head and then disposing of his body in an attempt to hide this murder by placing it in trash bags and throwing it into a trash receptacle," the prosecutor said.

Khan's family said in an e-mail statement issued before yesterday's court hearing that they were "very horrified about the depiction outlined in the news and the killers' evil version of the events leading to the torture and murder" of their son.

The family said "many people believe that Jamil's outspoken manners against inequities and his tendency to right those wrongs might have cost him his life."

"Unfortunately, the truth will never be known as it has been silenced forever by these vicious killers."

At the close of yesterday's court session, Deputy Prosecutor Kevin Takata asked Perkins to order Connolly and Williams held without bail because they are risks to flee the state.

Perkins said he did not think he could issue such an order without a separate hearing, but did increase bail from $1 million to $2 million for each defendant.

Williams and Connolly were arrested Saturday afternoon in connection with the case. Police searched Williams' home and recovered 219 marijuana plants, a police affidavit said.