A 42-year-old man Monday appeared at Honolulu District Court after he was charged with murder in connection with the death of a 29-year-old woman at a
hotel in Waikiki.
Jeremy J. Henderson of California was charged Saturday with second-degree murder in the woman’s death. Although the Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office declined to release the victim’s name and cause of death due to the pending investigation, a court document identified her as Ashley Brandeberry through her Hawaii state ID card.
Judge Clarence Pacarro denied Deputy Public Defender Cameron Holm’s request for a bail reduction Monday and confirmed Henderson’s bail at $1 million. His preliminary hearing is set for Wednesday.
Shortly after 4:15 a.m. Friday, patrol officers and Emergency Medical Services responded to a call regarding an unconscious woman inside a room at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel,
2500 Kuhio Ave.
When they arrived at Room 1210, a man identified as Henderson opened the door. He appeared distraught, immediately directed police and paramedics to Brandeberry and told them “she’s not breathing,” according to a court document.
An officer asked him to exit the hotel room so he could calm down because he was breathing heavily. While outside, Henderson cried intermittently and covered his head with both hands.
When police questioned how he knew the victim, Henderson said he just met Brandeberry at a nearby karaoke bar.
“We were chatting, ordered a few drinks. She wanted to come with me. I said, ‘Cool,’” he said.
At about 11 or midnight, Henderson said they “kissed a little” and that it didn’t go any farther than that. He said Brandeberry told him she wanted to go to sleep.
“I went to sleep, woke up to go to the bathroom. I went to check on her and realized she was cold and wasn’t breathing,” he said.
According to the court document, Henderson gave another police officer a different account. Henderson told another officer he and Brandeberry returned to his hotel room from the bar and started “getting it on.”
Henderson described Brandeberry as “a freak” and that “she said she likes to get choked and strangled while she gets it on.”
Brandeberry was pronounced dead at 5:03 a.m. Bruise marks were observed around her neck.
Police reviewed the hotel’s surveillance cameras and observed Henderson and Brandeberry holding hands when they entered the hotel lobby shortly before 1:45 a.m. Friday.
A woman staying in a room next to Henderson’s room said she overheard banging noises and a man and woman arguing for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Police arrested Henderson on suspicion of murder due to the suspicious injuries discovered on Brandeberry.