Honolulu police are investigating the death of a Wai'anae woman who was found beaten and unconscious on the sand at Ma'ili Beach Park early Thursday morning.

Muriel DeMello, 46, was found at 1:47 a.m. Thursday on the sand by a man who was picking up cans.

DeMello was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in critical condition, and died at about 6 p.m. Thursday night.

DeMello died of "intra-cranial hemorrhage due to blunt force injury to the head" and her death has been classified as a homicide, according to the city medical examiner's office.

The woman had injuries to her head and neck as well as wounds from what appeared to be a prior beating.

Family members told police they last saw DeMello on Wednesday evening with a male friend. Police have questioned the man but as of yesterday no one had been arrested.

DeMello, who has a listed address in Wai'anae, had been staying in a tent on the beach while working to resolve a domestic situation, according to police and beach dwellers.

Those who live at Sewers Beach near DeMello described her as always smiling and pleasant to those around her.

Momi Mahuka, who lived in a tent next to the woman, said DeMello "had a choice" and didn't have to live on the beach.

"This is something so terrible that this woman didn't deserve," said Mahuka. "She was just always happy and everybody liked her."

The Rev. Kaleo Patterson, president of the Pacific Justice and Reconciliation Center, is concerned about violence on Leeward Coast beaches and said the areas need to be secured.

"The level of violence on the beaches is phenomenal," he said.

The death is the third killing on the Leeward Coast this year.

On April 7, a 69-year-old man was choked and beaten in the Wai'anae Burger King. He died 12 days later of his injuries.

Gary R. Avilez, 35, was charged April 9 with attempted murder and is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

On April 24, Christopher Reuther, a 34-year-old North Carolina man, died after he was punched at a Nanakuli beach April 22.

Reuther was taking photographs at Zablan Beach Park when police say he crossed paths with Less Schnabel Jr., 21, of Nanakuli, who has been charged with manslaughter in connection with Reuther's death.

According to a police probable-cause affidavit, Schnabel "was positively identified by photographic lineup as the person who punched Christopher Reuther without provocation in the area of his left ear, causing him to collapse and go unresponsive."

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com and Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.