Murder-suicide victim eased others’ pain

Francisca Funtanilla, a popular “faith healer” who relieved others’ pains and ailments, was identified by friends and family Saturday as the woman killed in a murder-suicide on New Year’s Day in Kapolei.

Police said Funtanilla, 56, was shot by a 32-year-old man who then shot himself about 2:30 p.m.

Funtanilla died at the scene, and the man died at the hospital with a single gunshot wound. Police were investigating what prompted the man to shoot Funtanilla.

The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office was awaiting positive identification before identifying both victims.

“She’s the kindest person, always praying, taking care of everybody,” said Howard Howell, Funtanilla’s son-in-law, by phone. “She was just a happy person.”

He said people would visit Funtanilla for help, and she would lift up others who were having problems.

He said he didn’t know the man, who was visiting the house when the incident unfolded.

“She didn’t deserve it,” he said. “People came to her for praying, and she helps pray with them.”

Felina Quebral recalled Funtanilla first helped her almost 20 years ago by curing an itch that a lotion did not help.

“She’s caring. She’s a very nice person,” Quebral said. “She’s a good mother to her kids.”

She said Funtanilla had four daughters.

One woman, who declined to give her name, stopped by Funtanilla’s home Saturday and said she has been seeing Funtanilla for years for her pains and ailments.

“She’s very helpful,” the woman said.

She described Funtanilla as a Catholic “faith healer” and estimated she helped hundreds of visitors at home. She said Funtanilla did not ask for payment and received donations from her visitors, who found her mostly through word of mouth.

Funtanilla even accepted visitors at inconvenient times, out of pity and over her family’s objections, sometimes seeing guests at midnight or 5 a.m., the woman said.

She said Funtanilla could read palms, eliminate pain and restore health, recalling how Funtanilla gave a man the ability to walk again by touching him.

She said she would see Funtanilla before she would see a doctor because she cured her of sinus problems with a healing oil when a specialist couldn’t help her.