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Customers of Angie's Market on Kaneohe Bay Drive were shocked to learn this morning that the 45-year-old owner of the liquor store had been shot and killed late on Christmas Eve or early on Christmas Day.

Song Chong Marshall died of a gunshot wound in the back of the head, an autopsy revealed yesterday.

Police believe that a handgun was used, but the bullet was not recovered.

Kyong Marshall told police that she last saw her husband locking up the store's front door at 10:30 p.m. Christmas Eve as she left the store in her car.

Police say Marshall, a Kaneohe resident, had cash and store receipts from the day's sales as he left the store.

The cash has not been recovered.

Marshall's wallet was missing when his body was found in a Waimanalo drive-in restaurant Dumpster on Christmas Day.

But police are not ruling out a motive other than robbery.

"It could have been something more," said police homicide Lt. Bill Kato.

Marshall's van was found engulfed in flames at 3:50 a.m. on Christmas, parked on the street at Puuloa Road and Mapunapuna Place. The van, a white 2000 Chevrolet Express Van with Hawaii license plate 947TPF, was filled with merchandise from Marshall's wholesale business, police said. The merchandise included small, inexpensive items such as toys and lighters. It was not recovered.

Kato suspects Marshall was killed where the van was found.

An entomologist estimated Marshall was killed sometime between 10 p.m. Christmas Eve and 7 a.m. the next day.

People who knew Marshall said he was a nice man but had a temper.

Laura Zoller said Marshall chased away bad elements from the store after he bought it seven months ago. "They really cleaned up this place," said Zoller, a daily customer. "I had stopped coming because of all the riffraff loitering in the parking lot."

Lorre Kaleikilo, an employee of the nearby Bay Drive Market, said her customers said "Marshall was a mean man."

She said he would report young people who wanted to buy liquor or cigarettes and didn't have identification to the Marine base and give their license plate number.

"He got a hot temper," said Kyong Marshall, his wife of 20 years. But she said he was soft inside. If he got upset with someone, he would apologize right away, she said, and he helped the poor.

A family friend who helps out at the store said Marshall, a former military man, was strict, had a good heart, and that many customers liked him. He added that the Marshalls were hard workers and have a 15-year-old son.

Anyone who has information is asked to call the Honolulu Police Department at 529-3115 or CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.