Man admits killing
ex-landlord with a
can of food, police say

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By Leila Fujimori
lfujimori@starbulletin.com

A recently evicted tenant confessed to beating his 64-year-old landlord to death with a can of food, according to a police affidavit. The landlord's decomposing body was found last Saturday in his Palolo home.

Wesley K. Chong, 47, confessed to police he punched Edgar Lum in the face and then repeatedly struck him in the head with a food can.

Chong turned himself in to police Wednesday night and was arrested early Thursday morning.

Police charged him with second-degree murder.

Chong, 47, told police Detective Harold Fitchett that he had been Lum's tenant for about three months and lived at 2457 Lamaku Pl. He knew Lum for about four months.

Chong said he was upset after having been served with eviction papers by a deputy sheriff on Monday at 6:45 a.m. According to police, Chong said he had entered into an agreement to live rent-free or at a reduced rate in exchange for doing repairs on Lum's properties.

At 7:30 or 8:00 a.m. that day, Chong went to Lum's home at 3404 Kupaa Dr.

When Lum opened the front door, Chong punched him in the face, according to police. The 64-year-old fell inside the doorway. Chong told police that he then beat Lum with a rusty food can until he felt Lum had stopped breathing, but he was not sure Lum was dead, according to the police affidavit. Chong then took Lum's car keys and wallet and left.

The medical examiner reported that Lum was killed by a blow to the head with a blunt object, and the injuries were consistent with those of the circular edges of a food can, according to the affidavit.

Police found the apparent weapon, a rusty, crushed food can, on the patio floor.