Saito due to be extradited from California next week

Hawaii State Hospital escapee Randall Saito is expected to be extradited to Hawaii from California sometime next week, according to a spokeswoman of the Superior Court of California in San Joaquin.

Court Operations Manager Marilyn Green said Saito, 59, remains in custody without bail at the San Joaquin County Jail. He will undergo some medical tests before he is released to the U.S. Marshals Service.

An exact extradition date is unknown at this time.

Green said federal marshals will coordinate with the county jail to pick up Saito.

Dana Viola, spokeswoman of the Hawaii Attorney General’s Office, said marshals will transport Saito to Hawaii on a noncommercial flight.

Upon his return he will be held in custody at the Oahu Community Correctional Center on the felony escape charge.

Should he post bond, Saito will be returned to the State Hospital.

Saito walked off hospital grounds Nov. 12. He took a taxi to the airport where he boarded a charter flight to Maui. Saito then boarded another flight to San Jose, Calif.

The State Hospital called 911 to report Saito missing about eight to 10 hours after he escaped.

Deputy sheriffs captured Saito three days later in Stockton, Calif., after they received a tip from a taxi company.

In 1981 Saito was acquitted of murder by reason of insanity after he shot and stabbed a 29-year-old woman in the Ala Moana Center parking lot.

Police said he shot Sandra Yamashiro at random with a pellet rifle and repeatedly stabbed her with a knife in 1979.

He was diagnosed with sexual sadism and necrophilia and committed to the State Hospital since 1981.

Viola said the Attorney General’s Office is continuing its criminal and administrative investigations of the escape.

Meanwhile, the Health Department and State Hospital took immediate actions to boost security at the hospital in the wake of Saito’s escape, including reassigning the security staff.

Patient privileges and visitation policies are being reviewed, and unannounced searches of patient areas are being conducted, said department spokeswoman Janice Okubo.

Additional fencing is also being constructed on the hospital grounds. Okubo said the hospital also is looking into the use of security ankle bracelets.