Police are awaiting autopsy results to determine the cause of death of an 18-year-old woman whose nude body was found yesterday morning on a narrow strip of vacant land in Kalihi.

Homicide detectives were investigating the case yesterday, but it remained classified as an unattended death.

A Winant Street resident who called police said a neighbor of his was picking katuday flowers on a narrow strip of ground behind the wall of a nearby house at 938 Winant St. when she spotted the body.

After he took a look at the body, he said he “;thought it was like she might be sleeping, but she's naked, so I just went to the police.”;

Gary Aki, 57, who lives in Kamehameha Homes, said the young woman grew up in the housing.

“;She was 18, but to us she'll always be a little girl,”; Aki said. “;The girl was a very good girl—a sweet girl. It's a sad thing to have happen. It hit us hard.

“;She just got mixed up with the wrong crowd.”;

  Investigation Underway For Body Found In Kalihi

 

Honolulu Police are trying to determine if an 18-year old woman who's body was found naked in Kalihi was murdered.

[ Watch ]

 

Aki wondered why police did not consider the death as a murder, saying, “;The girl was beaten and thrown over the wall naked. That's not an unattended death.”;

The woman's body was found on a narrow strip of land between the wall surrounding Kamehameha Homes and the fenced back yards of Winant Street houses.

Police Maj. Clayton Kau said homicide investigators have learned there was a commotion between 9 and 11 p.m. Sunday, but do not know whether it was related to the death.

Police are looking into a number of things that need further investigation, but do not know how the woman got to the spot where her body was found, he said.

Kau said he does not know whether the girl appeared to be beaten.

The woman was last seen alive at 10 p.m. Sunday when she was with friends, police said.

Security guards were watching the area and were instructed to ask media not to talk to tenants in the housing. They told the Star-Bulletin that they were simply performing their regular duties and not standing guard.

Riki Saks, who lives on Winant Street, said she had been up sick the night before between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

“;I'm a pretty light sleeper,”; she said. “;My bedroom is right there. If I had heard anything, I would have called for help. There's lots of commotion, people fighting or drinking. But I never heard anyone screaming in terror.”;