Man seen drinking
before attack

Repeated punches killed
a 60-year-old victim,
documents say

A 28-year-old man was drinking with several people at a Kamehameha Heights home before he allegedly attacked a sleeping 60-year-old man early Saturday, a police detective said.

Homicide Detective Theodore Coons said Gaulbert "Gully" Reis was asleep in his bed when he was punched repeatedly by James Dean Strong at a home at 1211 Ahiahi St.

At 3:17 a.m. Saturday, an ambulance responded to a call of an unconscious male at the home. Reis was taken to the Queen's Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead Sunday morning. Strong was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder.

Coons said Strong had been drinking with several people at the home before the attack. Coons declined to discuss Strong's motive for the beating and noted that more interviews need to be conducted.

Police said Antoinette Tuituu, Reis' girlfriend and Strong's cousin, told officers that Strong punched Reis numerous times while he slept, according to court documents.

Police searched for Strong after a medical examiner determined that Reis died from an "assaultive blunt force injury to the head." He was arrested at a Pearl City home.

Tuituu would not comment on the beating yesterday. She and Reis lived together at the Kamehameha Heights home.

A neighbor who declined to give her name said Reis was a good man. "That was so sad," she said. "He never harmed anybody."

Coons said Strong, who also goes by the names James Dean Balai and Dino Balai, claimed to live in Kalihi Valley. He has a criminal record of six convictions that include a felony, petty misdemeanor and misdemeanors.

In July 2002 a Circuit Court judge found Strong guilty of second-degree assault. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years of probation.

In November 1999 a Circuit Court judge found him guilty of driving drunk.

In November 1998 a Family Court judge found Strong guilty of abuse of a household member. He was sentenced to two days in jail and a year of probation.

A preliminary hearing at District Court for Strong is scheduled at 1 p.m. Monday. He is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail.