Just before he allegedly stabbed Asa Yamashita to death, Tittleman Fauatea bought a foot-long kitchen knife at the Longs Drugs store in the Ewa Town Center on Friday, handed over "a wad of money" to the cashier and walked off without his change, Honolulu police said in an affidavit released yesterday.

Yamashita, a 43-year-old mother of two daughters, was sitting on a concrete bench outside the Lovely Nails salon eating saimin shortly after 1:30 p.m. when Fauatea allegedly unwrapped his new knife and repeatedly stabbed her, according to the affidavit.

"Yamashita was able to stumble into Lovely Nails seeking help while Fauatea walked away from the shopping center still in possession of the knife," according to the affidavit.

Officers responding to a report of a "bald, bareback male" wearing black shorts and carrying a knife found Fauatea kneeling on the right shoulder of south-bound Fort Weaver Road, south of Geiger Road.

Still on his knees, Fauatea raised his hands above his head and then placed them on the back of his head, according to the affidavit.

He originally was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in the second degree. But the case was reclassified to murder in the second degree when Yamashita was pronounced dead at Hawaii Medical Center West at 2:23 p.m.

Officers later recovered the knife allegedly used in the killing in nearby bushes.

Fauatea, 25, was last known to reside at an 'Ewa address near the shopping center. He has been charged with murder in the second degree and remained in police custody last night with bail set at $500,000.

Fauatea is scheduled to make his initial appearance in District Court today at 8:30 a.m.

Yamashita's husband, Bryan, a social studies teacher at Nanakuli High School, said yesterday that he is focusing on the needs of their daughters — ages 7 and 4 — and will not be in court this morning.

"I have no interest in being there," he said.

Details are still being formalized, but a memorial service for Asa is tentatively scheduled for March 11 at Nuuanu Mortuary. The time of the service will be announced later, Yamashita said.

Asa was a former English teacher at Wai'anae High School who six years ago took over the job of "reading strategies coach," giving her the nickname of "Book Lady" among Wai'anae's students.

School was in session at Wai'anae on Friday, but Yamashita volunteered at her daughters' fun-run activity at their school, Bryan said.

"She wanted to be there for the girls," he said. "That's why she took the day off."