HPD had thought Aki
acted alone in murderBut a detective says Aki never
said he stabbed Indreginal
Hours after Kahealani Indreginal's body was found near an Aiea trail, Christopher Aki confessed to beating the 11-year-old girl. Lead homicide Detective Sheryl Sunia was convinced police had found her killer.
"I believed Christopher Aki was the suspect and no one else was involved," Sunia testified yesterday in Circuit Court.
Aki is on trial for second-degree murder in Indreginal's Dec. 10, 2002, slaying.
Just hours before the confession, police suspected Aki and two other males were responsible, based on earlier statements from Aki. He had implicated two male friends, saying they robbed Indreginal for her gold Hawaiian bracelets so they could buy drugs. The friends denied being involved.
The state contends Aki beat Indreginal with a pipe after she slapped him when he accidentally spit food on her and that he was suffering from the effects of smoking crystal methamphetamine the day before.
The defense claims Aki falsely confessed to killing the Aiea sixth-grader because the girl's uncle, Dennis Cacatian, had threatened him at gunpoint to keep quiet. They contend Cacatian killed Indreginal at the Aiea Loop Trail with a knife and large rock after Aki confronted Cacatian about allegations he was touching his niece inappropriately. Cacatian has not been charged with Indreginal's murder.
Deputy public defender Todd Eddins asked Sunia yesterday whether Aki confessed to stabbing Indreginal in the neck.
Sunia said Aki made no mention of stabbing the girl, only that he "poked" her with the pole that had a sharp edge.
During his confession, Aki did not appear to be agitated or under the influence of crystal methamphetamine, Sunia said.