Hanalei restaurant owner reveals new details honoring murder victim’s life

HANALEI (HawaiiNewsNow) – Just over a month has passed since the death of Sergio Reyes Hernandez, known as “Tito Reyes.” The 37-year-old was found dead inside Federico’s Hanalei.

Read more Pearl City junkyard hit with $475,000 in fines

For the first time since the tragedy, the restaurant owner opened up about Reyes and his life, sharing he was like family to them.

“This is where he was found, right here in our bathroom,” owner Maria Hernandez said, pointing out the scene of the gruesome discovery. “We feel his spirit here with us, like he’s never left.”

The early morning hours of June 6 is when Reyes’ girlfriend found his body. She went looking for him after he didn’t come home from work.

“The lights were off, didn’t see anything. And so she came back in, saw some blood on the floor going into the bathroom. She pushed the door open and that’s when she found him on the ground,” Maria Hernandez said.

One mark remains from that horrendous night.

“We don’t know how it played out, but there is a bullet hole in the door — and that’s the bullet they found behind the toilet,” Hernandez added.

Tito Reyes worked at Federico’s ever since he moved to Kaua’i 15 years ago.

Hernandez opened up about his life at a community meeting in Kilauea Tuesday night, sharing he was not only their chef, but was also a kind man and a caring member of their ‘ohana.

“He was part of our family. He was like another son to us,” Hernandez said. “A son to my husband, a brother to my son, brother to my daughters.”

Daughter Kaylee Hernandez said through tears, “There’s just plenty of memories of him, you know, picking me up from school when I was younger, giving me rides home from work. Just being always being there, being very helpful. Someone you could always talk to.”

With most of his relatives still in Guatemala, Reyes cared for his friends as his own family, jumping in to help whenever it was needed.

Read more Spotlight Now wants your questions for Hawaii’s lieutenant governor candidates

“The girls needed to have a centipede killed one day. He was working at the Princeville location and they go, ‘Mom, there’s a centipede!’ And Tito says, ‘I’m going, I’m gonna go kill it,’” Maria Hernandez recalled.

Reyes’ alleged killer, William “Billy” Sinclair, remains in police custody, indicted on 28 counts, including second-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty in court last month.

The week before he died, Hernandez said Reyes’ tires were slashed, but they didn’t think much of it.

She was also made aware of a financial dispute between Reyes and Sinclair, who were roommates, and it reportedly stemmed over matters with the house.

When asked what she wanted to see happen in order to feel like justice is served, Hernandez said Sinclair deserves life in prison.

“He needs to be found guilty of this crime because he knows what he did. He had it planned. That’s what I feel. He had it planned,” she said.

The eatery has been blessed, and a memorial at the restaurant now serves as a place for friends to share in his memory.

Handwritten notes will be placed in his casket when his body is sent home.

“I just hope that he’s remembered for how great his smile was. How he was always so happy. Like my mom said, he did a lot for everyone around him. It’ll never be forgotten,” Kaylee said.

Read more Billy V Live: Jelynn Malone talks about her lead role in “Nurse the Dead”

A GoFundMe is collecting donations to send his remains home to Guatemala.