Malanie McLellan says she is pleased with a judge's decision to try a 16-year-old Ewa Beach boy as an adult in the murder of her foster mother.

Murder Victims Family Relieved Teen Charged As Adult

 

If Vernon Bartley had not been waived to adult court, he might have been released on his 19th birthday.

 

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  “;I was pretty overwhelmed with emotion”; yesterday when she learned of Senior Family Court Judge Frances Wong's ruling, McLellan said.

Vernon P. Bartley was scheduled to appear in Honolulu District Court this morning as an adult to face charges that he raped and killed 51-year-old neighbor Karen Ertell.

Wong waived Family Court jurisdiction yesterday over Bartley. The move allowed police and prosecutors to arrest and charge Bartley as an adult with crimes in connection with the May 25, 2007, strangulation of Ertell. Bartley was 15 at the time.

Wong's ruling also allowed the release of Bartley's name since Family Court proceedings involving minors are confidential.

    “;His face is going to be public. His name is going to be public,”; McLellan said. “;He doesn't deserve the anonymity from Family Court for committing a crime so heinous.”;

Honolulu police charged Bartley yesterday with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, second-degree sexual assault, first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, auto theft, unauthorized computer access, unauthorized possession of personal information, credit-card theft and fraudulent use of a credit card. His bail is $500,000.

The first-degree murder charge alleges that Bartley killed Ertell because she was scheduled to testify as a witness against him in Family Court for burglarizing her home. First-degree murder carries the state's stiffest penalty - life in prison without the possibility for parole.

    Teen To Be Tried As An Adult In Ewa Slaying  

 

 

The 16 year old accused of raping and killing an Ewa Beach woman is in police cellblock charged with first degree murder.

 

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Bartley's lawyer, Jeffrey Hawk, hinted at a possible defense.

“;Every child is a product of his environment and his family,”; Hawk said. “;And I think, hopefully, we can make that an issue in this case, that no child does these sort of things without good cause or good reason.”;

After police discovered Ertell's body in her home, they found her car at nearby Geiger Park and arrested Bartley for driving without a license. They later released him.

Honolulu police detailed their case against Bartley yesterday in court documents.

Police said the day after they found Ertell's body, Bartley's father called them and reported his son confessed to being involved in Ertell's death. When they interviewed the younger Bartley the following day, police said he confessed to planning and carrying out the crime.

Bartley told police he “;laid in wait”; in the carport of Ertell's home, attacked her from behind when she walked out of the home and held her in a choke hold her until she was unresponsive. He said he then placed Ertell's body in her bed and cleaned the blood from injuries sustained in the struggle.

Police said Bartley further confessed that he used Ertell's home computer to view pornographic material, took her wallet with credit cards and cash, her telephone, iPod and car. He told police he used Ertell's bank card at an automated teller machine twice to try to withdraw money.

Bartley denied having sex with Ertell. But police said they found a used condom in the home with Bartley's DNA on the inside and Ertell's DNA on the outside.