WAIPAHU — Folks who live on Niuli'i, a narrow, two-block street between Hiapo and Hapapa, describe the neighborhood as peaceful and quiet. They said the elderly couple who lived at the one-story house at 94-544 Niu-li'i were quieter than most.

But early yesterday, neighbors heard screams, followed by sirens and swarms of squad cars.

Police arrested the couple's 43-year-old son in the hatchet slaying of his 79-year-old father and the attempted murder of his 78-year-old mother.

Police said the attack was unprovoked.

"After committing the acts, the suspect drove himself to the Pearl City Police Station and turned himself in," said police Capt. Frank Fujii, who confirmed that the son lived with his parents.

"We have reason to believe that the weapon used in this case was a hatchet."

Fujii said the son was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and attempted murder.

He said the son had not been charged yesterday.

Both the father and the mother suffered severe head injuries, according to authorities.

The father was taken by ambulance to St. Francis Medical Center-West, where he died, said Emergency Medical Services district supervisor Jason Kaneshiro. The mother was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in critical condition, he said.

One neighbor said she was awakened by screams in the middle of the night.

"It was like 2 o'clock in the morning, and I woke up when I heard all this yelling and screaming," said Grace, who said she was too frightened to give her full name.

"And I was looking out the window to see who's yelling and screaming, but I couldn't see where it was coming from, and then I sleep again when it's quiet. And then there was another yell. It was really loud — it's a woman, a female's voice."

Soon after that, she said, she heard the sirens and saw the police.

Marvin Torres, who lives across the street, said the couple were pleasant neighbors who mostly kept to themselves.

But Torres described their son as "kind of crazy."

Torres said that two years ago, he and some friends were watching a video of a car show on a camcorder in front of Torres' home near the road.

"And that guy came by and was going, 'What's that? What's going on here? Is there a fight going on?' It was like he wanted to join in a fight or something.

"We're like going, 'There's no fight. We're not doing nothing — just watching a video.' "

Police said last night that the victims were named Suro and Janet Kawakami.

Grace said she didn't know the couple's name and couldn't recall ever seeing the woman. But she frequently saw the older man walking on the road past her home.

Sometimes, she said, she saw him with his son, who always kept his face lowered. She described the older man as a nice person who grew orchids in his backyard. He had welcomed her to the neighborhood when she arrived three years ago, she said.