Man, 25, found guilty in unprovoked stabbing at Kapolei restaurant

Circuit Court Judge Kevin Souza found a 25-year-old man guilty as charged of second-degree attempted murder in the unprovoked attack of Robby Bounkanha, who survived the Oct. 3, 2023 stabbing in the men’s restroom of the Taqueria El Ranchero in Kapolei.

Jared Elizares opted to waive his rights to a jury trial and was tried by the judge, with evidence portion of the trial ending April 2 and written closing arguments submitted April 9 and 11.

Elizares faces a life term with the possibility of parole when he is sentenced Aug. 28.

Souza found that the state, represented by Deputy Prosecutor Kyle Mesa, proved that Elizares was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt that he intentionally and knowingly engaged in conduct that would have caused Bounkanha’s death but he acted quickly to defend himself.

The judge found Bounkanha’s testimony credible that Elizares used a small folding knife with a motion and such force that it appeared he would have sliced his neck, but Bounkanha’s instinctive, quick actions, pushing him away, left just a laceration.

The defendant also bashed the victim’s head against a urinal and plunged the knife into his chest. A doctor testified he would have died had he not received medical attention.

Souza found no merit in Elizares’ defenses in the allegation that the injuries were not life-threatening, and that his actions were justified and/or mitigated by his impaired mental state and/or alcohol consumption.