‘Unthinkable’: Suspects in fatal beating of Maui kupuna held without bail
KAHULUI (HawaiiNewsNow) – Loved ones of Alfred Kailihiwa, 71, are demanding justice after he was beaten to death in Kahului on Thursday.
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A judge ordered two suspects held without bail, calling them a danger to the community.
Victim beaten, sister saved by good Samaritans
Kailihiwa and his 73-year-old sister were feeding and helping to trap and neuter cats near the intersection of Lalo and Hukilike streets in Kahului Thursday night when police say three people confronted them because of their bright headlights.
Investigators say the suspects struck Kailihiwa multiple times in the head, causing him to fall, then kicked him while he was on the ground.
“It’s unthinkable what happened,” Kailihiwa’s daughter, Jaime Kaho’ohanohano, said. “I can’t believe that there are people out there that could be so evil to harm our kupuna. I mean, my dad’s 71.”
Kailihiwa’s sister was also pushed to the ground, but bystanders intervened and saved her life.
“My mom could have been another loss,” said Samuel Kailihiwa, the female victim’s son. “Thank God for the Good Samaritans that stepped in and called the cops. Because if not, then my mom probably wouldn’t be here either.”
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Suspects’ criminal histories
Police arrested three people in connection with the case.
Johnathan Koko-Kong and Richard Kealoha-Kaauwai are charged with murder, robbery and assault.
A woman also arrested in connection with the case has since been released pending investigation.
Kealoha-Kaauwai has 18 prior convictions, eight of which are felonies.
Koko-Kong has two felony convictions.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chloe Kaleileihua Cabanas argued both men are a danger to the Maui community.
“The allegations here involve an unprovoked attack whereby the defendants are strangers to the complaining witnesses,” Cabanas said. “In this case, they effectively blocked the complaining witnesses in with their two vehicles, parking one in front and one behind, getting out of their vehicles and striking the complaining witnesses multiple times.”
Family demands justice
Kailihiwa’s other daughter, Kalei Kailihiwa, said what happened to her dad was heinous and unacceptable and the suspects need to be held accountable.
“The people who did this to him are also of this community,” she said. “I don’t know that I’m ready for forgiveness. I don’t know that I will be for a long time. But I also know that there’s always room for aloha. And for me, aloha means that we hold on to our humanity while we pursue accountability, and I think both things can be true at the same time.”
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The animal rescue community has created a GoFundMe page for the Kailihiwa ohana.
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