CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Gregory Awana, left, charged in the death of missing Oahu man Yorck Woita, made his initial court appearance yesterday, accompanied by his attorney.
Search in Kaneohe
fails to turn up bodyThe murder suspect remains
in custody in lieu of $1 million bail
Police searched the shoreline and water around Kaneohe by helicopter yesterday for the body of a missing 28-year-old Oahu man believed to have been murdered.
Yorck K. Woita Jr., of Kaneohe, was last seen alive Friday at a home in Manoa. Police say that the resident, Gregory Awana, confessed to killing Woita and disposing of the body.
Police were to decide this morning on whether the likelihood of finding Woita's body was worth extending the search.
"At this point it really doesn't matter," said Beverly Lum, Woita's mother.
Awana, 39, has been charged with murder, firearm and drug offenses. He made his initial court appearance yesterday and is scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing tomorrow.
Awana, an investigator with the city Department of the Medical Examiner, remains in custody in lieu of $1 million bail.
Awana's wife, Jody, 35, is charged with hindering prosecution for allegedly helping her husband clean up after the murder. She is scheduled to make her initial court appearance this morning but remains free on $100,000 bail.
Jody Awana: The suspect's wife is accused of helping clean up after the shooting death
Police said Gregory Awana shot Woita at Awana's Oahu Avenue home. Two men who told police they followed Woita and Awana to Manoa at Woita's request to "watch his back" said they saw the two arguing earlier, according to police.
The men said they left Manoa just before 8 p.m. Friday and never heard from Woita again despite repeated calls to his mobile telephone. About an hour later, the sport utility vehicle that Woita had been driving was found burned out and abandoned in Waimanalo by police.
Police conducted surveillance of Awana's home and on Sunday spotted him and his wife loading boxes and garbage bags into the bed of a pickup truck, according to court documents.
Officers followed Awana to the Kapaa Transfer Station where they saw him dump the contents of the truck, police said. They found marijuana plants, and blood-stained rags and cement block inside the bags and boxes.
Police arrested Awana when he returned to the transfer station to dump more items. Police arrested Awana's wife Monday after she agreed to be interviewed at the Honolulu Police Department's Main Station.
