Tip catches suspect in stabbing

A family member's tip brought an end to a police search for the suspect in the Dec. 26 stabbing death of a teenager.

R.J. Ham was arrested Wednesday night in a Waipahu apartment on suspicion of second-degree murder and a probation revocation warrant for an assault in 2005.

"It was a family member that helped us, but we had so many calls from the public," said CrimeStoppers coordinator Sgt. Kim Buffett. "The public was real helpful in pinpointing his location."

Just after midnight Dec. 26, 18-year-old Fugitogamala Savea was standing with friends in the parking lot of Sunny's Market at 2215 N. School St. Police said Savea was approached by the suspect, whom he did not know.

The two men argued, and Savea was stabbed in the chest with a knife, police said. Savea was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy revealed that he was stabbed in the heart.

The suspect fled down School Street.

Honolulu CrimeStoppers issued two bulletins, the first saying that Ham was wanted for questioning, and later saying that he was wanted on a probation revocation warrant.

On Wednesday, police received information that Ham was staying in Waipahu. At about 9:30 p.m., officers from the Specialized Services Division arrested him at a Pupuhi Street home.

Ham was convicted last year of two counts of second-degree assault.

He was sentenced to 60 days in prison, with five years on probation.