Homeless man
is found dead

He is discovered in a
pool of blood with multiple
head injuries in a park restroom

Homicide detectives are investigating the death of a 54-year-old homeless man whose body was found yesterday morning in a pool of blood at Waikele Community Park.

Police said the man received multiple head injuries and that his body was discovered at 7:10 a.m. in a restroom at the park at 94-870 Lumiaina St., near the Waikele Shopping Center.

An autopsy will be performed today to determine the exact cause of death, police said. Investigators have a tentative identification of the victim but did not release his name.

Police said the victim apparently had slept in the restroom and that his belongings were found with his body.

Yesterday afternoon, the park was busy with a soccer practice and a Girl Scouts meeting.

Homicide detectives knocked on doors in the Champions subdivision across from the park, asking residents if they heard anything Sunday night.

"Of course, we're concerned and scared," said Ariel Catalan, who lives across from the park and spoke to police. "Hopefully they catch the guy or people involved."

Catalan, a member of the Champions neighborhood watch, said the group was familiar with the homeless man.

"He shows up there periodically," Catalan said. "We checked the bathrooms last night at 10 p.m. Nobody was there."

Forty Girl Scouts and Brownies attended "Bring a Friend Night" with their guests and parents at the park's community center meeting room, just a few yards from the crime scene, which was secured with yellow tape and a police officer standing guard.

"We were wondering why the officer was there," said Cathy Matthews, an assistant Girl Scout leader. She was later told that one of the leaders had been notified about the investigation, but it was too late to cancel their meeting.

Duran Felix, father of an 11-year-old Girl Scout, said: "That's shocking. ... I'm sure a lot of parents would feel unsettled about hearing something like that."

He noted that the park is not well lit, and there are no lights in the parking lot. He said the park would be safer if there were more lighting in the pool area and elsewhere.

Felix brings his daughter to Scout meetings and waits an hour and a half for her. "We don't let our kids too far out of our sight," he said.

Waipahu resident Carleen Nakata said she received a call yesterday that her son's swim class was canceled, but was not told why.

"I'm shocked because I don't see too many people loitering," she said.