He was staying in a
Waianae military cabin
with his family when
he was killed

By Jaymes Song and Gregg K. Kakesako
Star-Bulletin

Two Waianae men were being questioned in the shooting death of a vacationing soldier, 34, this morning at the Waianae Army Recreation Center.

The two were arrested on outstanding warrants, unrelated to the killing, police said.

One suspect, 39, was arrested for an outstanding warrant on three criminal contempt charges. The other suspect, 28, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for one criminal contempt charge. They were first taken to the Waianae police station where they were questioned by the FBI and then were taken to the main police station.

By Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin
A police officer leads away one of the two men who were
being questioned today in the shooting death
of a vacationing soldier.

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The younger suspect, as he was being transported from the Waianae police station at 10:30 a.m., said, "I didn't shoot the guy, I am innocent." He was dressed in a white T-shirt and shorts and was barefoot.

Police said the soldier, on vacation with his wife and two children, was sleeping while his wife watched television at 1 this morning.

The wife heard several people outside their cabin, which fronts the beach, and went out to tell them to go away, police said.

When they wouldn't leave, she called her husband.

Police said he was shot in the chest at least once.

He was taken to Waianae Comprehensive Health Center, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The two suspects, seen running from the scene, are not military personnel, police said.

Morris Medeiros, an Army Street resident who lives next to the installation, said the neighborhood is usually quiet, but he has had problems with people running through yards to get to the beach.

Medeiros, a World War II veteran, said he is very upset about the soldier's death.

By Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin
Police technicians work to gather evidence at the
scene of the shooting this morning.

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"The poor guy gave his life for all of us, and some damn fool killed him," said Medeiros, 78. "It's a dirty shame."

The FBI has entered the murder investigation, which also includes Honolulu homicide detectives and Army criminal investigators, because the incident took place on an Army installation.

The Waianae Recreation Center, part of the Waianae Kai Military Reservation, is on Oahu's western shore at Pokai Bay, about 35 miles from Waikiki.