Man dies of injuries
from store beating

A male suspect in Sunday's
attack remains at large

Beating death suspect: He allegedly hit the victim when was asked to leave a Nuuanu store

Honolulu police have opened a murder investigation after a 58-year-old man died yesterday of injuries sustained in a Sunday night attack at a Nuuanu liquor store.

A suspect, described as a 5-foot-10-inch, 150-pound middle-age man, was at large last night.

Police said the suspect struck Edwin Medeiros, who was trying to get the man to leave the liquor store that Medeiros' wife owns.

Medeiros had been in critical condition at the Queen's Medical Center but was taken off life support at about 4:30 p.m. yesterday.

The alleged attack occurred at Nuuanu Liquor & Sundries, 1627 Nuuanu Ave., at 7 p.m.

According to police, Medeiros was working in the aisles while his wife was at the cash register when the suspect entered the store and tried to buy beer. The suspect started acting disorderly and was asked to leave by the victim's wife. The suspect became belligerent and insulted Medeiros' wife, police said.

Medeiros, along with some customers, tried to get the suspect out of the store. But when they got to the front door, the suspect struck the victim, whose left leg was amputated above his knee -- and he fell, police said.

Police said the suspect also kicked the victim's wife when she came to help. The man was last seen driving mauka on Nuuanu Avenue.

Police are asking for the public's help in locating the man. He was described as having a thin build; short, wavy brown hair; blue-gray eyes; a fair complexion; and was clean-shaven. He was last seen wearing a T-shirt, shorts and slippers.

Police located his maroon Toyota station wagon yesterday on Ahe Street in Palolo Valley.

An autopsy will determine the victim's cause of death. Though Medeiros appears to have died from head injuries sustained during the assault, he may have had prior health complications that contributed to his death, police said.

The case was initially classified as a third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, but was reclassified a murder investigation after Medeiros died.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the suspect or anything else regarding this case is asked to contact homicide Detective James Anderson at 529-3356. Anonymous calls can also be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or by dialing *CRIME on a cellular phone.