As Melvin Howard lay in the middle of a dark street, flattened by a kick to the chest, one of his attackers whipped out a cellphone, leaned over his limp body and snapped a photo, according to a man who said he witnessed the homicide Sunday in Ewa Beach.

Police made a plea Tuesday for witnesses to come forward or for information about three people involved in the attack.

Police said three males in their late teens or early 20s approached Howard, fronting 91-965 Komana St., at about 12:35 a.m. Sunday. At least one of the males assaulted Howard, and the group fled in a black or dark-colored sedan on Komana Street toward Pailani Street. Howard sustained head and body injuries and was taken in critical condition to the hospital, where he later died. After his death, police opened a second-degree murder investigation.

Benjamin Sowas identified Howard, 38, as his nephew and said he came to Hawaii from Chuuk two months ago. He said Howard lived with him on Komana Street, a few feet from where he was attacked.

"He’s a very good guy," he said at his house. "He’s always quiet. He just wants to be alone."

He said Howard had mental disabilities and would sing songs when he drank.

Sowas wasn’t home at the time of the attack, but learned about it after returning from work Sunday morning.

"These guys are bad guys," he said. "They think it’s funny."

He said Howard is survived by an adult son on Oahu.

According to a neighbor who requested anonymity because investigators asked him not to talk about the case, Howard was "toasted," or drunk, the night of the attack and was yelling and banging on one of his family’s cars. The neighbor said he called police three times about Howard that night.

After the first two calls, he saw a car come down the street and stop in front of Howard’s house. The occupants had a brief conversation with Howard before the driver drove off and apparently parked up the street. Howard started walking toward the car, mumbling, "I’m going to bus’ up their car," the man said.

The neighbor then saw three males approach Howard from the other direction. One of the males said something to Howard and kicked him in the chest with a martial arts maneuver.

Howard fell backward, and his beer bottle flew out of his hand.

"He never move after that," the neighbor said. One of the men took a picture of Howard before the group left, he said. The neighbor called police for the third time, and officers soon showed up.

Howard’s death was the fifth homicide on Oahu this year.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime­Stop­pers at 955-8300, or *CRIME on a cellphone.