She has been reporting professionally for more than 20 years beginning in October 1999 with the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. She was retained by its new owner in 2001 and again when the newspaper merged into the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in 2010.
Earlier in her career, a Feb. 10, 2001 article titled, "I want to tell my parents I am alive," got national and international attention with the first interview of anyone who had been aboard the Ehime Maru. The New York Times used quotes she obtained from a 16-year-old student who survived the sinking of the Japanese fishing vessel by a U.S. Navy submarine, and gave a nod to the Star-Bulletin. The Toronto Star ran the story. Fujimori also shared a 2004 Society of Professional Journalists award with two colleagues for a breaking news story, "1 dead/Cop Shot."
Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, volunteering to protect native forests, beekeeping, farming, traveling, singing and spending time with her "dogter."
The man charged with first-degree negligent homicide in the Feb. 15, 2023, hit-and-run death of a McKinley High School student was sentenced Monday to one year in jail for a traffic crime that occurred a month before the fatal crash. Read more
Circuit Judge Rowena Somerville denied a motion Tuesday for the supervised release of Sina Pili, charged with manslaughter in the Dec. 22, 2023, child abuse death of her 11-year-old adopted daughter. Read more
The state Legislature is expected to approve a $750,000 settlement in the 2019 wrongful shooting death of an unarmed, disabled, homeless man by an on-duty state deputy sheriff, who was not criminally held responsible but since faces scrutiny in the deaths of two more people in 2021 and 2022 while a police officer in San Diego. Read more
A 33-year-old driver who crashed a vehicle near the Kipaa Gulch Bridge, killing his 15-year-old female passenger on April 12, pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of negligent homicide and driving without a license. Read more
While the Women’s Community Correctional Center and minimum-security Waiawa Correctional Facility have hosted Keiki Days, this was the first at Halawa Correctional Facility, a medium-security prison. Read more
The transcript of the testimony was attached to a motion filed in February to dismiss the murder charge filed by Lehua Kalua, Isabella’s adoptive mother. Read more
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Oahu residents turned in roughly 367 firearms of all types today in a gun buyback program at the Aloha Stadium, the Department of Law Enforcement (DLE) announced in a news release this afternoon. Read more
Police arrested a 15-year-old girl this morning for allegedly assaulting her 73-year-old foster mother in Wahiawa. Read more
A Circuit Court judge has ordered the supervised release of Oscar Cardona, who was convicted in 2022 of second-degree murder in the June 1, 2021, stabbing death of a visitor in Waikiki. Read more
A Hawaii County grand jury Wednesday indicted Keoni Peter Tosie Brown of Hilo on charges of second- degree murder in the stabbing death of his 81-year-old neighbor and first-degree terroristic threatening of a 38-year-old woman who confronted him. Read more
His bail was confirmed at $2.02 million. Read more
The mother of Jared Elizares, a 25-year-old man on trial for attempted murder in an unprovoked knife attack on a stranger in the men’s restroom of a popular Kapolei restaurant, testified Tuesday regarding his and his family’s trauma and mental health issues. Read more
An 81-year-old Hilo woman held up her arms to defend herself against her 30-year-old neighbor before he fatally stabbed her in the mouth Saturday morning, a witness told police, according to documents filed Monday in Hilo District Court. Read more
A federal grand jury Thursday indicted a 51-year-old Mexican national on charges of being an illegal alien present in the United States after being convicted of a felony and removed from this country. Read more
The grand jury’s indictment and decision for no bail overrides a district court judge’s confirmation to maintain his bail amount to $5 million and the need for a preliminary hearing. Read more
Gerhardt Konig is being held without bail at the Oahu Community Correctional Center after being indicted on the charge of second-degree attempted murder. Read more
Court documents filed Thursday reveal Arielle Konig, the wife of a 46-year-old Maui anesthesiologist, told police he struck her about 10 times in the head and tried to inject her with a syringe filled with an unknown liquid while on a hike Monday. Read more
The Medical Examiner’s Office found she died of blunt force injuries caused by assault, starvation, prolonged immobilization and physical restraint, medical neglect and pneumonia. Read more
Mayor Richard Bissen had asked the commission to place Maui Police Chief John Pelletier on administrative leave while commissioners conduct an independent review of the allegations in the lawsuit, potentially involving criminal conduct. Read more
The man, 84, accused of killing his estranged wife, will remain confined at the State Hospital. Read more
The Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office said Monday it is continuing to investigate the case against Gideon Castro, but declined to provide any information that it said might jeopardize the case or its continuing investigation. Read more
