A 16-year-old boy will be tried as an adult for the May 2007 murder of an 'Ewa Beach woman.

Prosecutors today charged Vernon Phillip Bartley, 16, with killing Karen Ertell, 51, after Family Court waived its jurisdiction in the case. A hearing on the matter was held by Family Court Judge Frances Q.F. Wong on Sept. 25, when she took the case under advisement. She made her ruling today at about 10 a.m.

In addition to first- and second-degree murder, Bartley was charged with second-degree sexual assault, second-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, unauthorized control of a motor vehicle, unauthorized possession of confidential personal information, second-degree unauthorized computer access , fraudulent use of a credit card, and credit card theft.

Bartley's bail was set at $500,000, pending his initial appearance tomorrow at District Court. A preliminary hearing will likely come Thursday.

Bartley, 15 at the time of the crime, was Ertell's neighbor. She was found dead at her residence at 91-548 Akua St. on May 25, 2007. An autopsy determined she died of "asphyxia due to or as a consequence of manual strangulation."

Bartley allegedly waived his rights and gave a statement to investigators on May 27 in the presence of his mother at the Alder Street Juvenile Detention Facility, according to an affidavit filed at court stating facts from police homicide detectives Theodore Coons and Gregory McCormick.

During the interview, Bartley admitted to planning the offense, said he acted alone, and that he waited for Ertell in the carport of her residence, the affidavit said.

Bartley allegedly admitted to applying a triangle choke hold on Ertell from behind until she became unresponsive, the document stated. Bartley told police he took Ertell from the carport to her bed and cleaned blood evidence from the scene.

Bartley also admitted to taking cash and credit cards from Ertell's wallet as well as her telephone, iPod and 2006 Volvo, which was later found at Geiger Park near the home.

Bartley allegedly told police he used Ertell's bank card twice in an attempt to withdraw money from her account.

Bartley, however, denied having sex with Ertell.

But DNA evidence recovered from the interior of a used condom found in the bathroom trash in Ertell's home was a match with Bartley.

The affidavit said 878 pornographic-type images and nine pornographic video files were accessed on Ertell's computer on the morning of May 25. "Prior to 5-25-07, there was no evidence of pornographic material being accessed on Ertell's computer," the affidavit said.

The images consisted of straight, gay and sadomasochistic-bondage type pornography, according to the affidavit.

Bartley was arrested on May 26 after his father, Petelo Bartley, called police and reported his son had confessed to being involved in Ertell's death.

The document also included statements from a witness who allegedly was a passenger in Ertell's car, which Bartley was driving. The witness showed police where Bartley had discarded bloody clothing, which was recovered.

Barley had told the witness, the car belonged to his aunty and that the blood on his clothing had come from his aunty striking him in the head with a coffee cup during an argument.