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Suspect in fatal stabbing, robbery cases hurt in prison fight

COURTESY HPD
Gary Landis: He was arrested Tuesday in the Nov. 9 death of a newspaper seller in Kaimuki

A 30-year-old homeless man, suspected in the stabbing death of a newspaper vendor in Kaimuki, was hospitalized Wednesday after getting into a fight with two other inmates at Oahu Community Correction Center, where he is awaiting trial on a robbery charge.

An Oahu grand jury indicted Gary Landis Wednesday for first degree robbery for allegedly beating a 75-year-old woman and trying to take her purse in the parking of Marukai Market in the Ala Moana area on June 11.

Landis has been in OCCC since his arrest last week. 

The fight involved  two other pre-trial inmates — a 26-year-old male and a 32-year-old man, the Department of Public Safety reported.

Only Landis required hospitalization. He was expected to be released from the hospital Thursday and returned to prison.

Landis is a suspect in a Nov. 9 killing of a Hawaii Kai man in Kaimuki.

Police arrested Landis on June 2 in connection with the fatal stabbing of 70-year-old Thaddeus “Ted” Pirga Jr., a retired welder and popular seller of the Sunday Honolulu Star-Advertiser, who was fatally stabbed Nov. 9 at about 3:40 a.m. as he prepared to sell newspapers near Cafe Miro on Waialae Avenue.

Landis was released without charges on June 3, as police continued their investigation.

Police arrested Landis on June11 for the robbery case.

In a police affidavit filed in District Court, Judy Konishi said she was loading her car in the parking lot of Marukai Market at 10:20 a.m. on June 11 when she was hit on the head.

When she fell to the ground Landis allegedly tried to take her purse.

The victim said Landis was carrying a baseball bat when she saw him getting into her vehicle.

A police officer, who responded to the scene, said he saw Konishi on the ground and Landis searching through the car.

Landis fled across the street to the Ward Warehouse, where another officer gave chase.

He ran to Ala Moana Boulevard with bat in hand. When Landis raised the bat above his head, the officer drew his handgun and ordered him to put the bat on the ground and to lie next to it, the affidavit said.

Landis refused, fled again with the baseball bat, ran into the parking lot at Kewalo Basin and back to Ala Moana Boulevard with the officer in pursuit.

Police finally arrested him on the median on Ala Moana Boulevard.

Paramedics treated and took Konishi to a hospital where she was treated and released.

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