Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Friday, April 24, 1998

Florida man indicted for
1975 shooting death in Waikiki

By Linda Hosek, Star-Bulletin

A 75-year-old man living in Florida after he allegedly killed his ex-wife and attempted suicide in a Waikiki hotel more than 20 years ago will stand trial for murder.

An Oahu grand jury yesterday indicted William Scheblein for the shooting death of his former wife, Catherine P. Scheblein. The incident occurred about May 23, 1975, in the former Paradise Hawaii Hotel on Oahu Avenue.

Honolulu police detectives on April 17 arrested Scheblein in Largo, Fla., on a warrant and began extradition proceedings.

Scheblein allegedly killed his former wife after following her to Honolulu from California and then shot himself. He was 52 at the time; she was 35.

Police said they didn't charge Scheblein in 1975 because he wasn't expected to survive a head injury. He was transported to a California hospital.

Police also said they learned in late 1997 that he was alive and residing in Florida.

His bail was set at $250,000.

Hearings for youth charged with murder attempt will be open

Hearings for a 16-year-old boy charged with attempted murder for allegedly slashing a former girlfriend with a sword will be open, despite defense arguments that confidential mental-health records will be cited.

Family Judge Dan T. Kochi yesterday denied a motion to close hearings to determine if Shane K. Hirakawa should stand trial as an adult for allegedly sending a 13-year-old girl to the hospital in critical condition March 30.

Deputy Prosecutor Katherine Puana Kealoha said the ruling was important to reinforce the law, which in this case "doesn't give the right to inspect records, but the right to be there and see what is going on."

The 1997 law allows access to proceedings for juveniles 16 and older who have been charged with serious crimes, such as attempted murder.

If convicted as charged as an adult, Hirakawa would face life in prison with parole.

If found guilty in Family Court, he would remain in custody until age 19.

Pimp, prostitute admit transporting girl, 16

Two accused of transporting minors for prostitution entered guilty pleas yesterday in federal court.

Courtney Fitzhugh, 20, and Tonya Frankhauser, 18, were charged with transporting a girl, 16, from Las Vegas for the purpose of prostitution in Waikiki.

The two were arrested in Waikiki by Honolulu police shortly after two underage prostitutes sought police help at the Waikiki Substation on Easter weekend.

Efforts are under way to reunite the girls with families and social services in Nevada.

"People who exploit children this way deserve to go to prison, and that's where Fitzhugh and Frankhauser belong," said U.S. Attorney Steven Alm. "Any other minor who is in the same situation is encouraged to ask a police officer for help. They will get it."

Documents filed in court indicate both minors and Frankhauser were prostitutes working for Fitzhugh, who relocated his prostitution business from Nevada to Hawaii on April 8, 1998.

Frankhauser assisted Fitzhugh by making the airline reservations for the minors and by helping supervise their prostitution activities.

Both defendants remain in custody. They are scheduled for sentencing Oct. 8. Each faces a maximum 10-year prison term.

Fire at Wahiawa home leaves nine homeless

Nine people were left homeless yesterday afternoon when a $215,000 fire swept through a five-bedroom home in Wahiawa.

The cause remains under investigation, but police said the fire may have started when a lamp burned a curtain.

The victims are receiving assistance from the Red Cross.

The two-story wooden structure at 54 Makani Ave. is about a half-block from the Wahiawa Fire Station, and firefighters responding to the 4:43 p.m. blaze brought it under control at 4:51.

City grants police money to cover overtime pay

The city has granted the Honolulu Police Department between $1.6 million and $1.8 million following yesterday's police rally at Honolulu Hale protesting the lack of overtime pay, according to the police officers union.

About 100 officers marched into City Hall and served Mayor Jeremy Harris with a class action for forcing officers to take compensatory time off rather than overtime pay.

SHOPO President Bennie Atkinson said employees are entitled by state law to earn cash and not compensatory time, which officers have been receiving since the department exhausted its $10 million overtime budget in February.

Neither the city nor the Police Department would confirm that any money was given to the department.

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Police/Fire


By Star-Bulletin staff

Military man killed as car runs off Kunia Road

A 21-year-old military man died this morning near Royal Kunia when his car ran off the roadway.

The man was traveling southbound on Kunia Road near Anonui Street at 1:04 a.m. when his car ran off the road, police said.

He was ejected from the car and died.

Traffic investigators said speed was a factor and alcohol use was unknown as of this morning.

Inmate at Halawa dies after medical treatment

Homicide detectives today are investigating the death last night of an inmate who received medical treatment at Halawa Correctional Facility.

Police said a 26-year-old man was being disorderly in a medical unit at the facility.

They said he bit a corrections officer at about 6:20 p.m.

The inmate was given medication and then transferred to a special holding cell, police said.

Police described the medication as "an injection to calm him down."

Later, officers checking on the man found him dead in the cell.

The man was pronounced dead at 10:21 p.m., police said.

Two suspected in theft run down mall guard

Police yesterday arrested a 30-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy for allegedly stealing fishing supplies from the Windward Mall Sears and then running down a store guard.

A security guard was struck by the suspects' van when they attempted to flee at 1:02 a.m., police said.

Mall security detained the suspects until officers arrived.

The man suffered a sprained wrist.

Three Big Island men face burglary charges

KAILUA-KONA -- Police said they have charged three Kona men with offenses related to the burglary of a South Kona house in October.

Shayne Lucena, 24, of Captain Cook and Jason Massey, 22, of Kailua-Kona were arrested yesterday, charged with burglary, and held in lieu of $2,000 bail.

Robert McClay, 23, of Kailua-Kona was charged with fraudulent use of a credit card obtained in the burglary and released pending his trial.

Besides credit cards, other items taken from the Napoopoo Road home were a video recorder, a television set and a telephone, police said.

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