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Suspects in Maui boy’s murder released
A man and his girlfriend charged in the murder of his 4-year-old son, Zion McKeown, were released Tuesday.
A Maui judge released Kyle O. McKeown, 32, and Grace Lee-Nakamoto, 27, both charged with second-degree murder, on their own recognizance after Maui Deputy Prosecutor Robert Rivera asked for a continuance of the pair’s scheduled preliminary hearing.
Wailuku District Judge Mimi DesJardins said court rules require that defendants be released on their own recognizance in the event of a continuance in a preliminary hearing, according to court minutes on the state Judiciary’s Hoohiki, the court information website.
The hearing was continued to 3:30 p.m. July 2. The judge ordered that the defendants have no contact with any minors or with each other, and surrender their passports.
Zion McKeown died from blunt force trauma to his lower abdomen, and his injuries most likely came from being stomped on while he was lying on the ground, autopsy and court documents said.
Man pleads innocent in Los Angeles killing
The 29-year-old Kaimuki High school graduate accused of killing a fellow Kaimuki graduate in Los Angeles last month entered a plea of not guilty Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Richard Gilla Herrera was arraigned on a murder charge in the death of Bobby Khamvongsa, 27. Herrera’s next court date will be July 9. His bail has been set at $1 million.
Police responded to a call regarding a traffic accident at about 1:30 a.m. May 19 and found Khamvongsa lying in the street in Los Angeles’ Wilshire District with stab wounds, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Paramedics were called, and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives learned Khamvongsa got into an argument with a man, which apparently led to the stabbing.
UH professor killed in Arizona in car accident
A 60-year-old University of Hawaii-Hilo astronomy and physics professor was killed in a Jeep accident May 27 while touring Canyon de Chelly in Arizona.
Richard Crowe was a member of the UH-Hilo faculty since 1987 and served as physics and astronomy department chairman from 1992 to 2002.
He co-authored 47 scientific publications and wrote nine articles, including two major ones listed in the Web of Science index, critiquing astrology, UFOs, Mars "face" claims and creationism, according to Keaohou, a UH-Hilo project for research and scholarly activity at the UH-Hilo Office of Research & Economic Development.
Crowe was astronomer-in-residence beginning in 2006 at UH-Hilo’s Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii.
Crowe was selected in 1991 as a Fujio Ma- tsuda Research Fellow for his scholarly work on pulsating variable stars.
Inquest sought in death of man repairing roof
Hawaii County police have called for a coroner’s inquest in the case of a 49-year-old Kawaihae man who died Monday while working on a roof in Waimea.
Barry Bokmej was hired to repair a two-story house on Ala Loa Street and was pressure-washing the roof before he was found face-down and unresponsive at about 2:55 p.m. Monday, police said.
Firefighters brought Bokmej down from the roof and took him to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:41 p.m.
Police do not suspect foul play and have requested an autopsy.