'EWA — A woman who had just had her hair done was stabbed to death while sitting on a bench eating saimin yesterday afternoon at the Ewa Town Center.

The victim was identified last night as Asa Yamashita, 43, of 'Ewa Beach, the medical examiner's office said. She was an English teacher at Wai'anae High School.

She was taken to Hawai'i Medical Center West, where she died of multiple stab wounds to her upper torso, police homicide Lt. Bill Kato said.

Police did not know if she knew her assailant.

A short time after the incident, police arrested Tittleman Fauatea, 25, of 'Ewa, on suspicion of second-degree murder. He was arrested nearby at 1:51 p.m. at Fort Weaver and Geiger roads.

People at the busy shopping center said Yamashita had her hair done at Supercuts and then walked two doors down to the Ewa Seed Co., where she bought food. Kato said Yamashita was sitting on a bench between the snack shop and Lovely Nails II when she was attacked about 1:30 p.m.

"Apparently, she was sitting on the bench back here and the suspect came around the corner and approached her," Kato said.

Blood was on towels and the floor of the entryway to the nail salon where Yamashita went to get help and collapsed. The nail salon is between the snack shop and Supercuts.

Collin Inong said he was waiting to get a haircut at Supercuts and saw Yamashita walk out after she had gotten her hair done.

Inong said he didn't see the attack, but saw the commotion after she stumbled into the nail salon.

"She looked like she was losing a lot of blood," Inong said. "Her face was turning white."

Inong said the suspect was shirtless and "he looked mentally out of it."

He said the man "just kind of walked across Geiger (Road) toward Fort Weaver (Road)" and kept looking back.

Kato said the man did not resist arrest.

"Apparently, he was just sitting down at the corner of Geiger Road and Fort Weaver Road smoking a cigarette when officers approached him," he said.

Dean Hashimoto, co-owner of Ewa Seed Co., said Yamashita purchased saimin and some Girls Day items from his store, then walked outside and sat on a bench to eat her food.

A short time later, Hashimoto said he walked outside to throw away some rubbish in a nearby bin. He noticed Yamashita was still on the bench eating.

He said the suspect then walked by him and they exchanged casual greetings.

Hashimoto said he went back into his store and a short time later, witnesses told him what had happened.

Police Maj. Michael Moses said a knife found on Geiger Road may have been the murder weapon.

Hashimoto said he told police he thought he saw the suspect throw something in a nearby rubbish can.

Police later found in the garbage can what appeared to be a plastic cover for a long knife of about 8 inches, he said.

Kato confirmed finding what appeared to be packaging for a knife.

Police said video cameras from the Longs Drugs Store on the other side of the shopping center recorded images of the suspect in the store a short time before the incident.

Hashimoto said the suspect was of medium height, heavy-set, dark skin with a buzz cut.

"I don't think he even knows her, to tell the truth," Hashimoto said of the victim.

Hashimoto said Yamashita had been in his store a couple of times in the past. He said he had never seen the suspect before.

Fauatea was convicted in November 2008 on a harassment charge, which is a petty misdemeanor, according to the Hawai'i Criminal Justice Data Center. Fauatea was sentenced to six days in jail.