Janto threatened
to maim youths
The accused killer pointed a gun
By Rod Thompson
at youngsters stealing his pot plants
years ago, a retired policeman says
Star-BulletinHILO -- Retired Big Island police Capt. Leningrad Elarionoff always wondered: Would the Waimea marijuana grower who discovered a couple of boys stealing his plants several years ago really have shot off their testicles as he threatened? Speaking in favor of marijuana eradication money to the Hawaii County Council yesterday, Elarionoff described the incident in which the gun-toting grower discovered the boys, ordered them to pull down their pants and bend over, and seemed poised to shoot them in the genitals.
Realizing what was happening, the boys managed to run away, he said.
Police later identified the grower, who had a long list of prior offenses. But would he have maimed the boys?
Elarionoff got a good indication when the man's name resurfaced recently in connection with a Honolulu crime. He said the grower was Frank Janto, charged recently with the June 9 murder of Bongak "Jackie" Koja, 59.
Honolulu police said Janto confessed to attacking the Wahiawa woman as she walked on California Avenue and dumped her body in a trash bin at Leilehua High School.
