Reno man, 77, pleads not guilty to murder in 1972 Waikiki stabbing

A 77-year-old Reno man, indicted in the 1972 slaying of a 19-year-old woman at her Waikiki apartment, made his first Hawaii court appearance today, pleading not guilty to the charge of second-degree murder.

Oahu Circuit Court Judge Christine Kuriyama confirmed bail at $1 million for Tudor Chirila, who appeared by video teleconferencing, and set trial for Feb. 6 before Judge Catherine Remigio.

Chirila, who was a University of Hawaii graduate assistant 50 years ago, was indicted Sept. 23 on the murder charge for allegedly stabbing Nancy Anderson more than 60 times. Anderson had recently moved from Michigan and was working at a McDonald’s restaurant in Ala Moana Center.

Despite numerous attempts to solve the cold case, it was finally cracked when DNA evidence found on a bloody towel was linked to Chirila. Honolulu police obtained a warrant for his arrest in September.

But Chirila, a former Nevada deputy attorney general, fought extradition in a Reno courtroom, alleging his constitutional rights were violated when he says he was arrested at a Reno hospital after police forced him on Sept. 6 from his home to the hospital where his saliva was taken for a DNA sample, the Associated Press reported.

The judge said any constitutional rights issues would be taken up by a Hawaii judge. Nevertheless, he allowed Chirila to be heard on the matter and was appointed a public defender.

Chirila lost his fight and was extradited Dec. 1 and arrested in Honolulu at the airport. He is being held at the Oahu Community Correctional Center.