The court-martial of the Big Island F-15 jet mechanic charged with killing a fellow airman on Okinawa and trying to cover up the crime by making it look like a suicide will be held Wednesday at Kadena Air Base. Court-martial of Big Island
airman is set for next weekBy Gregg K. Kakesako
gkakesako@starbulletin.comAir Force prosecutors allege that Airman 1st Class Damien G. Kawai murdered Airman 1st Class Charles F. Eskew Jr. at the base, where both were assigned to the 18th Maintenance Squadron, in November.
On March 16, Lt. Gen. Thomas C. Waskow, commander of the 5th Air Force, decided the case should proceed to a general court-martial. Kawai faces a maximum sentence of life without parole if convicted.
Kawai has been in pretrial confinement since Nov. 19 after an investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Eskew was found dead in his dormitory room Nov. 17.
Kawai, 19, also is charged with the theft of some of Eskew's belongings and impeding investigators.
At a Feb. 18 pretrial hearing, Air Force Special Agent Clifford Minor testified that Kawai, a 2000 Pahoa High School graduate, confessed to killing Eskew. Kawai said that he put eye drops in Eskew's beer, causing Eskew to vomit and have difficulty breathing, according to Minor.
Minor said Kawai also admitted putting a pillow over Eskew's face several times before putting his hands around Eskew's neck. Then Kawai went to his room to get a knife to cut Eskew's arms, Minor said, to make his death look like a suicide.