Neighbors heard someone jiggle their front door handle in the middle of the night.

    Family Of 3 Injured By Intruder  

 

 

A man and his baby is in the hospital after an intruder broke into their home, leaving one woman, identified as Lyola Mesebeluu, dead.

 

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  Luckily, the door was locked.

But the intruder apparently gained entry to the apartment where Keith Mesebeluu, 26, slept with his wife, Lyola, 27, and daughter, Kia, 2.

Mesebeluu was asleep in the living room when he heard his wife screaming, police said. When he rushed into the bedroom, he found a man standing over his wife, stabbing her repeatedly.

He was able to disarm the intruder, police said, but not before he was stabbed in the torso.

Neighbors heard his screams and called police.

Paramedics and doctors could not save Lyola Yada Mesebeluu, who was pronounced dead at 6:10 a.m. yesterday.

Mesebeluu and his daughter, who suffered a cut to her arm, were hospitalized, as was the suspect, a 19-year-old Nuuanu man, arrested at the scene. It wasn't immediately clear how the girl was wounded.

A large kitchen knife, believed to be the murder weapon, was recovered at the scene.

“;I cannot imagine something happening to my children like that,”; said a distraught Regina Mesebeluu, mother of Keith, by phone from her home in the Republic of Palau, an island nation east of the Philippines. “;They're still so young, trying to make a living in Hawaii. It's just hurting me so much.”;

She described her daughter-in-law, a Bank of Hawaii employee, as respectful and good-hearted, a “;soft person”; and great mother who would do anything to protect her child.

“;She is family, she's like my daughter,”; said Regina Mesebeluu, 53, a candidate for the Palauan Senate who is married to Augustine Mesebeluu, 55, former speaker of the Palau House of Delegates. “;They were married three years, but were dating each other since high school.”;

Weeping softly, she said, “;My only hope is that my son and my granddaughter will be OK. My heart goes out to Lyola.”;

Keith Mesebeluu was listed in serious but stable condition yesterday, while his daughter was in good condition.

Just before 4:10 a.m., police said, the intruder entered an unsecured door to the Mesebeluus' apartment in a three-story walk-up complex at 2222 Kapiolani Blvd.

According to residents at a neighboring two-story complex, the suspect apparently tried to enter their units as well.

“;One of the residents here heard him try to come through the door,”; said Chris Martin, 34. “;And another guy on that end actually saw (the suspect) poke his head into the apartment. I'm really disconcerted about all of this.”;

The suspect suffered lacerations to his hand as a result of the scuffle, police said. He was arrested on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder, second-degree murder, two counts of attempted second-degree murder and first-degree burglary. He has no prior criminal convictions, according to state records.

“;The suspect and the victims, as far as we can determine, do not know each other,”; said police Maj. Alan Bluemke. “;A motive for the homicide is undetermined at this time.”;

Keith Mesebeluu, a chef at a Japanese eatery, is “;out of his mind”; with grief, said his mother.

Family members in Palau are planning to fly to Hawaii today and Keith's brother, Kevin, will fly in from Taiwan, said Regina Mesebeluu.

“;We're all so distraught, we don't know what to do,”; she said. “;All I know is that we want to be there as soon as possible.”;