The 19-year-old man who allegedly killed his mother 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 on Thursday with second-degree murder. His bail is set at $1 million, and he made his initial appearance in court Friday.
McPeek hung his head while he sat in a chair in a courthouse cellblock during his initial appearance held via videoconference before Judge Kristine Yoo at Honolulu District Court.
Yoo scheduled his preliminary hearing for Tuesday.
A patrol officer who arrived at 84-570 Farrington Highway at 11:45 p.m. 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, and her face was “completely smashed in.”
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. officers 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.
Joshua and Michelle McPeek have multiple prior arrests and criminal citations.
Michelle McPeek was arrested Sept. 24, 2013, for harassment and criminal property damage after she attacked a relative, Mindy McPeek. Michelle McPeek was found guilty and sentenced to six months’ probation on both counts and ordered to undergo a mental health examination. On Aug. 26, 2014, the state moved to have McPeek’s probation revoked after she allegedly violated the terms, according to state court documents. The state later withdrew that motion and recognized that McPeek complied and completed her probation.
On July 6, 2015, she was cited for trespassing in Mother Waldron Park at 537 Coral St. at 10:37 p.m. The park closes at 10 p.m., and McPeek, who had no local address at the time, would not leave the area near the park’s restrooms and refused to sign the citation issued by an HPD patrol officer.
On Feb. 13, 2020, at 11:55 p.m., she was cited for violating park closure hours in Waianae and again gave no local address to the HPD officer who cited her. The citation was dismissed with prejudice.
On Oct. 1 she was arrested for driving without a license and no proof of motor vehicle insurance. Those charges were also dismissed with prejudice.
On Jan. 7, Joshua McPeek was arrested in Waianae and cited for seven traffic crimes including reckless driving, driving without insurance and driving more than 81 mph. Six of those charges were dismissed with prejudice, and he was fined $267 for not complying with the speed limit.
As a juvenile, McPeek was arrested and charged with criminal trespassing, second-degree assault, third-degree assault and second-degree robbery three times, according to information obtained by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
