Ferocity of attacks described in trial over killing at church

David Orpin clubbed a man so severely that when police found the body, they thought the bloody skull fractures had been caused by a bullet that had cut through the head, Deputy Prosecutor Scott Spallina said Tuesday in his opening statement in Orpin’s murder trial.

Orpin, 60, is on trial in state court for the beating death of 62-year-old Arthur Martinez in October 2010 in a church parking lot in Manoa.

Police found Martinez’s body Oct. 27 after Orpin went to Hono­lulu Police Department headquarters, asked for a drink of water and said he probably needed to be arrested for murder, said officer Julian Tani­oka, who was on duty at the security post.

"He said he was harassed by someone, he hit him and we could find the body in the parking lot of St. Pius church," Tanioka testified Tuesday. The church is on Lowrey Avenue in Manoa.

Orpin and Martinez were homeless and living on the grounds of the church.

Spallina said Orpin’s blows were so violent that when Martinez tried to block them, the impact broke off the tip of the ring finger on his right hand and nearly severed the middle finger.

Police have not recovered the object Orpin may have used to bludgeon Martinez.

Tanioka said Orpin had blood on his shoes and clothing but was uninjured when he showed up at HPD headquarters.

Orpin’s lawyer, David Bettencourt, suggested to the jury that Martinez was trying to kick Orpin off the property and that Orpin killed him in self-defense.

"There is no physical evidence that clearly establishes who was the aggressor," Bettencourt said.

He said church surveillance video confirms Orpin’s claim that Martinez harassed him on Oct. 25.

Bettencourt said Orpin had permission to live on church property and had been doing so off and on for about 10 years. At one point Orpin was given a T-shirt with "Security" printed on it because church authorities didn’t care for the activities of some other homeless people, Bettencourt said.

Those who know Orpin have said he helped create an art exhibit at the Hawaii State Art Museum and described him as private, eccentric and brilliant.