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2 die, police officer
wounded in Ewa
murder-suicide
A domestic dispute turns
deadly but a two-year-old
daughter is uninjured;
vest saves officer's lifeWife had long wanted a divorce
By Rod Ohira
Star-BulletinA bulletproof vest apparently saved the life of a police officer who was shot in the chest by a man who then killed his wife and turned the gun on himself.
The officer was not seriously injured and is recovering from minor injuries at Queen's Hospital.
"He got shot in the chest and a fragment ricocheted (off the vest) and hit him in the arm," said police Lt. John Pinero. "The Kevlar vest saved his life, no ifs, buts or ands about it."
He would not name the officer.
The officer went to the "Ewa East by Gentry" subdivision home at 91-210 Keonekapu Place to investigate a dropped 911 call received at 9:42 p.m. last night.
While at the front door, the officer "heard a female yelling for assistance" before a man appeared in the doorway and shot him shortly before 10 p.m., acting homicide Lt. Anderson Hee said.
Pinero, the wounded policeman's supervisor, said the officer followed proper procedure and retreated to his car to take cover and call for backup help.
While at his car, the officer heard three shots fired from inside the house. Two bodies -- tentatively identified as Andrea Belcina-Dequito, 27, and her husband Allan Dequito -- were found near the entrance to the home.The couple's 2-year-old daughter was in the house during the shooting, but was not injured. She is being cared for by relatives, police said. The girl's grandmother, who was living in the home, recently returned to the Philippines, neighbors said.
Neighbor Ricky Daley heard the couple arguing and then the gunshots.
"I've heard stuff coming out of there before," Daley said. "She was going to leave him, I think.
"I thought it was my imagination, but then I saw a cop coming to the house," he said.
The police officer told Daley, 25, and his family to stay inside because of the standoff four houses down the street.
Another neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said the couple argued frequently. The weapon used reportedly is a Colt .45 semi-automatic handgun.
Police say the incident reminds them how dangerous it can be when they respond to incidents of domestic violence.
"Domestic responses are the most spooky," Pinero said. "Statistics show the highest incident of officers being injured are domestics."
In-laws urged Dequito:
By Jaymes K. Song
Take time away from wife
Star-BulletinJose Belcina stared blankly at the ground while holding a cigarette and leaning against a blood-spotted wall near the front door of his Ewa home this morning.
Hours ago, his younger sister Andrea Belcina-Dequito, 27, was shot and killed by her husband, Allan Dequito, near the entrance of the home. Dequito then turned the gun on himself.
Belcina, 39, who also lived at the home, was at the movies during the shooting.
He wishes he had been home to possibly prevent the shooting.
"I kind of blame myself," he said quietly. "But he would've probably shot me, too."
Belcina said his sister had been separated from her husband for about a year but she kept taking him back.
"Andrea was disappointed with him," Belcina said. "She wanted him to strive and get a good job. They were together for 10 years and she expected a good life."
But Dequito got involved with drugs and couldn't keep a job, Belcina said."They would fight, verbally," he said. "But he never hit her."
Belcina described his sister as a wonderful person who loved her baby girl. He's thankful that 2-year-old Allyson was not injured in the shooting. She is now being cared for by Dequito's mother.
Manolo Belcina, 32, knew Dequito since high school, when he was started dating her sister.
He described Dequito as a social and "nice person" back then. But things in the past year have been different.
"He didn't want to talk," Manolo Belcina said. "He was very quiet. He just kept to himself."
Both Jose and Manolo Belcina had talked to Dequito and advised him to move out or take a month away from their sister.
"I can't believe it happened," Manolo Belcina said as he shook his head. "She wanted a divorce. But she never got it in writing. So he always came to the house."
Belcina-Dequito worked at the front desk of the Hilton Hawaiian Village since 1994. Co-workers said she sometimes talked about her rocky relationship and her desire to leave him.
"All of us here at Hilton Hawaiian Village want to extend our condolences to her family and friends," said hotel spokeswoman Bernie Caalim.
"Andrea will be remembered for her aloha sprit. She was a hardworking team member ... she was friendly, kind and courteous to all and she will be missed dearly."
Jose Belcina said he hopes the tragedy will encourage other women in abusive relationships to get help.
Sue Deuber of Child & Family Service said it can be difficult for a woman in an abusive relationship to leave her abuser. And in many cases, the abuser becomes more violent when she attempts to leave.
Deuber encourages anyone in an abusive relationship to call for help, which can range from just having someone to talk to or a shelter to stay at.
But her biggest concern, she said, was for the couple's little girl.
"There's a 2-year-old without a mommy or daddy and she doesn't know why."
