A man accused of murdering a 25-year-old New Mexico woman, whose nude body was found Oct. 2 floating in nearshore waters off the Royal Hawaiian hotel, told police he had consensual sex with the woman in the ocean near where her body was found and last saw her walking away in the opposite direction, according to a police affidavit filed in District Court.

Deputy Public Defender Craig Jerome yesterday entered a not-guilty plea to a second-degree murder charge filed against Aaron Susa, 31, in connection with the death of Bryanna Antone, a college student from Rio Rancho, N.M.

Susa, a native of San Diego, appeared at yesterday's brief court hearing in bare feet, wearing a baggy white paper jumpsuit. He was handcuffed and his legs were shackled at the ankles. He said nothing.

District Judge Philip Doi confirmed bail at $500,000 and ordered a preliminary hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to try Susa on the murder charge.

Police were able to connect Susa with Antone via several witness statements, including one from a cook at the Royal Hawaiian who reported he was taking a break when he saw a man on top of a woman making repeated choking movements during a 10-minute period early about 3 a.m. on the day Antone's body was found, the affidavit said.

SUSPICIOUS INJURIES

While the city Department of the Medical Examiner has yet to rule on the cause of death in Antone's case, the affidavit said that an autopsy found that Antone had suspicious injuries, including a fractured larynx and bruising to her neck and chest.

The affidavit said a manila envelope found on the beach by police contained documents belonging to Susa and a white and gold slipper that family members identified as the type worn by Antone.

Semen recovered from Antone's body contained a mixture of sperm from two men, the affidavit said. One DNA profile matched that of Susa in records kept by the Hawai'i Criminal Justice System, the affidavit said. The other DNA profile is of an unidentified male, the affidavit said.

After police arrested Susa Oct. 5 in Makiki, he was found to have scratches on his chest, lower stomach, left hip, right pinkie finger and the right side of his neck, the affidavit said. Susa told investigators he had scratched his chest on some rocks while swimming with the woman.

COURSE OF EVENTS

Witness statements contained in the affidavit present a chronology of events surrounding Antone's death:

On Oct. 1, Antone was released from the Federal Detention Center near the airport after serving a four-month sentence for parole violation (on two 2005 drug convictions). He went to the Ala Wai promenade, then to Kalakaua Avenue to hang out and listen to music, Susa told police.

About 11 p.m., Bryanna Antone and younger brother Benjamin, in Honolulu with their mother for the American Dental Association convention, met Susa at the Royal Hawaiian Center, Benjamin Antone told police. Susa introduced himself as "Kevin."

Susa told Bryanna and Benjamin that he had "just got out of jail that day," Benjamin Antone told police. Susa at one point was acting obnoxious and Bryanna talked to him about it, Benjamin Antone said.

The trio smoked some "weed," Susa told police.

The trio and a fourth person, a Waikiki band singer who was befriended by the Antones, bought alcohol and went to the Antones' room at the Ohana Waikiki West Hotel between midnight and 12:30 a.m. Oct. 2, Benjamin Antone and Susa told police.

Bryanna Antone was drinking heavily and "appeared to have taken an interest in 'Kevin,' " Benjamin Antone told police. Susa told police that Bryanna Antone "became drunk and started coming on to him."

About 1 a.m. on Oct. 2, Benjamin Antone and the fourth person, a man, left to get some food. Benjamin Antone said. When they returned, Susa and his sister were gone.

About 2:10 a.m., Benjamin Antone spoke with his sister by phone. She told him she was on the "south shore."

Susa took Bryanna Antone to the beach fronting the Royal Hawaiian and Sheraton Waikiki, where they made out on the beach, then had sexual intercourse in the water, Susa told police.

When they left the water, Susa found that someone had stolen his shirt, his manila envelope and the woman's purse, he told police.

As he and Antone were dressing, he got into an argument with her and grabbed her wrist to yank her hand off his chest after she pinched his nipple, Susa told police. He yelled at Antone, called her "psycho" and walked quickly toward the Hilton Hawaiian Village while Antone walked in the other direction.

That was the last time he saw Antone alive, Susa said. He stole a towel and found a beach mat, and went to sleep on the beach fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Between 5:30 and 6 a.m. a man walking on the beach saw two women pointing out at the water. A wave washed Bryanna Antone's naked body onto the beach, where people pulled the body farther up the beach and let authorities take over.

Later that day, Oct. 2, Benjamin Antone identified Susa from a police photographic lineup as the man who "was making out" with his sister and who had mentioned "he had just gotten out of jail that day."

Police issued a news release identifying Susa as a "person of interest" in the case. On Oct. 5, police arrested Susa as he was hiding in bushes near the corner of Liholiho and Kewalo streets in Makiki. He told police his name was "Herman Moore" and that he had swallowed and injected Drano, which officers believed was an attempt at suicide, the affidavit said.