The state plans to try accused murderer Toi Nofoa for kidnapping and terroristic threatening even though he is already facing trial for first-degree murder.

    Murder Victim's Testimony Eerily Similar To Shooting

   

 

Murder victim Royal Kaukani prior testimony described being kidnapped and threatened by murder suspect Toi Nofoa. 3/25/09

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First-degree murder carries the state's harshest penalty: life in prison without the possibility for parole.

The victim in all cases is Nofoa's ex-girlfriend Royal Kaukani.

The state is also considering charging Nofoa with more crimes involving Kaukani, said Maurice Arrisgado, senior deputy city prosecutor.

A state judge ordered Nofoa, 31, on Tuesday to stand trial for first-degree murder in the March 17 shooting death of 25-year-old Kaukani.

Nofoa was supposed to stand trial for kidnapping and terroristic threatening last Thursday, but the judge postponed the trial and issued a $75,000 cash-only bench warrant because Nofoa failed to appear in court for a March 5 hearing.

The judge rescheduled the trial yesterday to September.

Nofoa's lawyer said he wants to have the murder and the kidnapping cases tried at the same time.

Nofoa is accused of kidnapping Kaukani from her workplace Sept. 11, threatening her with a gun and taking her to Haleiwa before she was able to escape with the help of bystanders at a gas station.

As of Monday, no gun had been recovered in the Kaukani shooting death, said Jim Fulton, spokesman for the prosecutor's office.

Arrisgado said he wants to charge Nofoa with other offenses involving Kaukani, including protective-order violations, kidnapping, assault, terroristic threatening and felony abuse that Honolulu police were not able to charge because they could not find Nofoa.