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Honolulu police say multiple witnesses saw son beat mom to death in Makaha

ROSEMARIE BERNARDO
                                Joshua N. McPeek made his initial appearance in court today. Honolulu police say the 19-year-old man who allegedly killed his mom on Farrington Highway late Tuesday night was seen by witnesses hitting her with his fists and stomping on her face with his feet, court documents show.

ROSEMARIE BERNARDO

Joshua N. McPeek made his initial appearance in court today. Honolulu police say the 19-year-old man who allegedly killed his mom on Farrington Highway late Tuesday night was seen by witnesses hitting her with his fists and stomping on her face with his feet, court documents show.

The 19-year-old man who allegedly killed his mom on Farrington Highway late Tuesday night was seen by witnesses hitting her with his fists and stomping on her face with his feet, according to a report filed by a Honolulu police officer who responded to the scene.

The report was part of the judicial determination of probable cause filed with documents charging Joshua N. McPeek Thursday with second-degree murder. His bail is set at $1 million and he made his initial appearance in court today.

A patrol officer who arrived at 11:45 p.m. to 84-570 Farrington Highway found Michelle Kalena McPeek “lying lifeless flat on her back with her face covered in blood and unrecognizable due to her severe injuries,” according to court documents. Her wounds were likely the result of “blunt force trauma,” the report said.

On Tuesday night, the HPD patrol officer was responding to a report of a shirtless man wearing red board shorts assaulting a woman on the roadway. At 11:50 p.m., the officer who responded to the scene and a colleague found McPeek at Farrington Highway and Kili Drive with “blood covering his face and hands,” according to court documents.

Witnesses told police they saw McPeek run away from the scene of the attack toward Makaha Surfing Beach.

After a brief struggle, he was detained.

A female witness was brought over to where McPeek was detained and positively identified him as the person she saw assault Michelle McPeek, police said.

Joshua McPeek was arrested a 12:17 a.m. and while he was being booked, allegedly told officers he didn’t remember what he did and appeared to be under the influence of illegal narcotics, according to sources.

Second-degree murder carries a penalty of life in prison with the possibility of parole.

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