The 55-year-old woman charged with murdering her home care operator on Sunday had been committed to the Hawaii State Hospital because of another murder 17 years ago. Accused killer faced
similar charge in ’84By Rod Antone
rantone@starbulletin.comHonolulu police said then that Emelie Rauschenburg set a Makiki boarding house on fire on Jan. 11, 1984, with 10 people still inside, then walked up a hill to watch the building burn. A disabled veteran was killed during the fire, and police charged Rauschenburg with one count of murder and nine counts of attempted murder.
She was later acquitted by reason of insanity.
In the latest case on Sunday, Honolulu police said a female called police dispatch and said she had "just stabbed her home care operator with a knife." When police got to the scene at 94-497 Kahualena St., they found the victim, identified as Agapita Alcaraz, lying face down with a stab wound and Rauschenburg holding a blood-covered 10-inch knife.
When officers ordered Rauschenburg to drop the knife, Rauschenburg uttered, "She is a crook" and, "That lady is a crook," police said in an affidavit.
Eventually, police said, Rauschenburg put the knife down and was placed under arrest.
According to state documents, after Rauschenburg was committed to the State Hospital in 1984, she was granted a release to the adult probation office in 1988. Then in 1994, Rauschenburg was admitted to the St. Francis West Medical Center in a coma, only to be discharged about six months later to the Lourdes Ramos Care Home.
According to court documents, doctors said Rauschenburg suffered from partial paralysis due to a stroke. In 1997 during a failed attempt to get Rauschenburg discharged, one doctor stated that she "poses no threat of danger to herself or to the persons or property of others" and that her diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia was in "remission."
Though the doctor said Rauschenburg still suffered from dementia, it was a "mild to moderate" case.