Suspect accused of A former Honolulu resident who was to go to trial this month in state court on multiple charges of second-degree theft was found dead Monday in his Waikiki apartment.
fraud found dead
Wendell Morgan was scheduled
to go to trial this month on
identity theft chargesBy Debra Barayuga
dbarayuga@starbulletin.comWendell Douglas Morgan, 52, was identified by the medical examiner.
Morgan's attorney, Jeff Arakaki, notified the judge today that his client had died.
Because Morgan had multiple aliases and had used different Social Security numbers in the past, the state wants further confirmation from the medical examiner of his identity before asking that the charges be dismissed.
Morgan was returned to Hawaii after he was arrested recently in Jackson, Mo., to face charges that included defrauding an 81-year-old of her savings, forcing her to sell her home.
According to a police report, Morgan had reportedly been depressed and had argued with his wife that day. The wife left the apartment, and when she returned shortly after 5 p.m., she found him lifeless. There were no apparent signs of foul play, the police report noted.
Morgan is chief executive officer of a construction company in Missouri. He was on probation for a 1991 Hawaii conviction when he allegedly committed the latest offenses. In the 1991 case, he posed as a lawyer and embezzled from many victims, including an elderly woman, the state said.
Morgan also was facing charges in U.S. District Court for credit card fraud and failure to pay more than $10,000 in child support for more than two years.