In a brutal killing that rocked the Hawaiian island, an Oahu man brutally murdered a cleaner and abducted her daughter. The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Kalani Leilani Puna, has been charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping after luring the victim into his car with the promise of a job.
According to reports, the suspect was known to the victim – who worked as a cleaner at a local hospital – and lured her into his car on Saturday morning. Once inside, he allegedly stabbed her multiple times before driving away with her 7-year-old daughter. Fortunately, the child was able to escape from the car and flag down a passing motorist.
The motorist called the police, who were able to apprehend Puna near an apartment complex. This is just one in a long line of murders that have taken place in Hawaii in recent years. As you can imagine, the community is feeling devastated by this latest crime. (Oahu Man Brutally Murdered A Cleaner) If you have any information about this case or any other homicide in Hawaii, please don’t hesitate to contact law enforcement officials.
Background Of The Case
In a brutal killing that rocked the Hawaiian island of Oahu, an Oahu man brutally murdered a cleaner and abducted her daughter. The 34-year-old suspect, identified as Maui resident Christopher Lee Otton, allegedly entered the woman’s residence through an unlocked door on October 11th and attacked her with a knife before fleeing with the eight-year-old daughter in his car. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene while Otton fled with the child, driving to an unknown location.
Otton was apprehended later that day after leading officers on a high-speed chase on Interstate H-1. He has since been charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping and is currently being held without bail. This shocking crime has raised questions about how Otton was able to enter the home uninvited and what may have led him to commit such a heinous act.
The incident has reignited debate over Hawai’i’s strict gun laws, which are some of the most restrictive in the country. In addition to requiring background checks for all firearm purchases, Hawai’i also prohibits firearms possession by people who have been convicted of violent felonies or domestic violence misdemeanors.
Otton reportedly owns firearms but does not appear to have had any prior criminal history. Critics of Hawaii’s gun laws argue that they are not effective at preventing crime and that they should be more relaxed in order to better protect residents from crimes such as this one.
Investigation Into The Murder
In a brutal killing that rocked the Hawaiian island, an Oahu man brutally murdered a cleaner and abducted her daughter. The 23-year-old suspect, identified as Jesse Kaleikini, entered the victim’s home on Saturday morning and demanded money from her. When she refused, he allegedly attacked her with a knife, killing her.
He then took 5-year-old Sydney Hirono out of the home while her mother lay dead on the floor. Kaleikini is believed to have assaulted Sydney before dumping her in a park near his home, where she was found by passersby around 9:00 am. As authorities continue to search for Sydney, they are asking for the public’s help in finding Kaleikini.
The Arrest And Trial Of The Oahu Man
In March of 2013, an Oahu man brutally murdered a cleaner and abducted her daughter. The incident rocked the Hawaiian island and led to the arrest and trial of the man.
The victim, 61-year-old Norma Kamali, was found dead in her home on March 8th. It was later determined that she had been killed by blunt force trauma to the head. Her daughter, 19-year-old Kiari Kamali, had fled the home moments before Norma’s murder and sought help from a passerby.
Police quickly identified 25-year-old Jeffrey Wayne Legere as their suspect in the killing. They located him at his residence later that day after receiving a tip from Kiari. Legere was charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping and stood trial in early 2014.
Legere claimed that he did not know Norma and had only met her once prior to the attack. He claimed that he had simply gone to her home for a cleaning job when Norma attacked him without provocation. He also claimed that he had only intended to abduct Kiari for a moment before fleeing the scene.
The Sentencing Of The (Oahu man brutally murdered a cleaner)
On October 25, 2014, 35-year-old Jeffrey Scott Nishimura was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the brutal murder of 46-year-old Kahilani Bishop and the abduction of her daughter Kiara.
Kaylani Bishop was a mother of three who worked as a cleaner at a condominium complex on Oahu. On October 25, 2014, she left work early to take Kiara to daycare. Around 5:00 PM, while Kahilani was walking home from picking up Kiara from daycare, Nishimura ambushed her and stabbed her repeatedly with a kitchen knife. He then took Kiara hostage and fled the scene.
Police released photos of Kiara that circulated widely online in an effort to find her safety. In December 2014, officers found Kiara safe and unharmed at a motel in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. Oahu man brutally murdered a cleaner
Nishimura pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and kidnapping in February 2015. In his sentencing statement, he admitted that he committed the murders because he was “angry and resentful” towards Kahilani for working too hard and being successful while he struggled financially. He also said that he acted out of anger when he abducted Kiara because he believed that she would be better off without him.