Prosecutors want murderer
to never go free
City prosecutors want to make sure 24-year-old Jason Perry of Kailua never walks free again.
Prosecutors recommended yesterday that Hawaii Paroling Authority officials set Perry's minimum sentence at 150 years each for murdering Edward Fuller and Tracey Tominaga in January 2002, plus an additional 10 years for conspiracy.
Circuit Judge Karen Ahn sentenced Perry to a maximum of two consecutive life terms without parole last summer; however, the hearing before the parole board members yesterday was to determine Perry's minimum sentence. Under Hawaii law, a defendant serving a life term without parole receives an automatic review by the governor for possible commutation after serving 20 years.
Perry was convicted of criminal conspiracy and two counts of second-degree murder for killing Tominaga, 37, who worked at a Waikiki hotel, and Fuller, 40.
Prosecutors said Perry and others kidnapped Tominaga and took her to a remote area above Makakilo where they struck her with a tree branch, threatened her with a gun, then handcuffed her and had her head, leg and ankles wrapped in duct tape. One of the kidnappers fondled her while the others laughed, including Perry, who then strangled her, said Deputy Prosecutor Chris Van Marter during the trial. Four days later Perry shot Fuller on Jack Lane in Nuuanu to keep him from telling police what he knew about Tominaga's murder.
The hearing was scheduled to be continued sometime within the next 60 days. However, parole board members allowed a letter to be read by Betty Tominaga, the victim's mother. The letter said Tominaga's death almost two years ago "still haunts this family daily."
"This was such as senseless act and responsibility and justice should be served. I hope that this time spent behind bars would make you realize the pain and sorrow that you caused your family as well as our family."
Perry had testified at trial that he and others brought Tominaga to a remote property above Makakilo because she and a friend, later identified as Kaimi Seu, had pointed a shotgun at Perry's head and robbed him of crystal methamphetamine and cash a few days earlier.
Perry testified he did not intend to harm Tominaga and only brought her to Makakilo to learn the identity of Seu. He said his plan went awry when his companions began hitting and kicking her. But he later admitted he placed his hands around her neck but did not know if that killed her.
