Mom hopes for new leads in unsolved murder case
The mother of a 21-year-old woman found dead almost seven years ago in Pawaa* still has hopes that police can arrest whoever is responsible for the crime.
The nude body of Melva Matunding's daughter, Jubilee "Maile" Lum, was found inside a plastic garbage bag at the rear of Beretania Florist on Beretania Street on Aug. 24, 1999.
"This has been going on for too long," Matunding said yesterday. "I just hope that whoever knows about what happened will come forward ... and try to solve this already so everybody can go in peace."
Detectives from the Honolulu Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division recently called Lum's family members about the case. Yesterday, police sent a news release about the unsolved murder, once again asking that anyone with information about the case contact police.
Police said the homicide occurred between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. CrimeStoppers Detective Kim Capllonch said an employee from Beretania Florist was taking out the trash when he observed the plastic bag in front of a bin located behind the floral shop.
Lum was last seen being picked up in Chinatown by a van described to be a white or light-colored Ford Econoline built between 1987 and 1990. Lum, who was four months pregnant, died of either strangulation or suffocation, according to police.
Her mother said she had been urging Lum at the time to stop going to Chinatown.
"We tried to keep her home, but she kept on going," said Matunding, 48, who has three daughters and two sons. "All we know is that she was murdered."
Anyone with information about Lum is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
CORRECTION
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
» The body of Jubilee "Maile" Lum was found inside a plastic garbage bag at the back of Beretania Florist at 1293 S. Beretania St. in Pawaa on Aug. 24, 1999. A story on Page A5 in yesterday's morning edition incorrectly said that the florist was in Chinatown.
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