A Liliha man accused of raping three women in their apartments in the Kaheka and downtown areas last year pleaded guilty in state court Tuesday to all charges against him.
Asofitu Fio, 31, pleaded guilty to seven counts of sexual assault, one for attempted sexual assault, and three counts each of kidnapping and burglary. Fio faces a minimum 20-year prison term at sentencing in December. He remains in custody unable to post $1 million bail.
Fio also faces deportation by the U.S. State Department whenever he gets out of prison.
Through a Samoan interpreter, Fio pleaded guilty to the May 28 rape of a woman in her Ahana Street apartment, June 13 rape of a woman in her Aala Street apartment, and Dec. 1 rape of a woman in her Cedar Street apartment.
The Honolulu Police Department committed more than 60 officers to investigating the three cases. Police Chief Louis Kealoha said officers tallied 1,000 hours canvassing neighborhoods, checking databases, re-interviewing witnesses, reviewing old reports for similarities and conducting surveillance.
Two of the rapes happened in daylight. The third occurred in the middle of the night.
In the May 28 case, police said the rapist approached his victim from behind as she tried to enter her apartment and struck her, causing her to fall, then sexually assaulted her.
Police said in the June 13 case, the rapist entered his victim’s apartment through a sliding door while the woman was asleep then sexually assaulted her.
In the Dec. 1 case, police said the rapist rang his victim’s doorbell. When the woman didn’t see anyone through the peephole, she opened her front door. That’s when the man forced his way into the apartment and raped her while covering her face with a pillow.
Officers on surveillance spotted Fio, who matched the description of the rape suspect, police said. When the officers approached Fio on the street and started talking with him, they said Fio gave them answers that raised their suspicions. They obtained a DNA sample from Fio and matched it with DNA recovered from the Dec. 1 rape.
