Woman pleads no contest in murder case

WAILUKU, Maui – Murder charges against a 35-year-old Kihei woman were reduced to manslaughter after entering a plea of no contest.
Lisa Avilla, co-defendant in the trial of Michael Arlo Pavich, pleaded no contest to the manslaughter charge, counts of first-degree robbery, kidnapping and first-degree burglary. She also plead no contest to third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia for a pipe containing methamphetamine.
Pavich was found guilty and convicted for the murder 82-year-old retired Navy doctor Edward Bird. He was convicted of second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, kidnapping, first-degree burglary and possessing drug paraphernalia. Pavich faces the possibility of life in prison without parole.
Avila took Pavich to Bird’s apartment because he wanted to rob someone. The Maui News reports that Avilla said she saw Pavich striking and choking Bird in his bedroom.
Though DNA evidence placed Pavich at the apartment, he denied going there, testifying that he stayed behind while Avilla and her cousin went to Bird’s apartment.
Deputy Prosecutor Robert Rivera agreed to reduce the murder charge against Avilla to manslaughter in return for her testimony.
Based on her methamphetamine charge and history as a repeat offender, Avilla is not eligible for probation.

KONA, Big Island– A 44 year-old Captain Cook woman died Saturday, Oct. 22 from injuries sustained when the ATV she was operating ran off a private driveway and struck a tree.
The victim was identified as Jeanne Moriguchi.
Responding to a 12:29 p.m. call, Kona Patrol Officers determined that Moriguchi had been operating a 1986 Honda 350 ATV on a private driveway near the end of Rock Bottom Road in South Kona, when she lost control of the vehicle, ran off the driveway and struck a tree.
Moriguchi pronounced dead at 3:20 p.m. at Kona Community Hospital.
Coroners Inquest case and an autopsy have been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.

KONA, Big Island– On Oct. 18 a 16-year-old Kailua-Kona girl charged with killing her infant son was ordered into the custody of the Department of Health.
After the girl did not appear at a hearing, Judge Victor M. Cox ordered that she have a mental evaluation and be placed in the care of DOH.
It is not yet known if the girl will remain on the Big Island or be moved to a facility on O‘ahu. Her next court date is scheduled for Oct. 25.
The girl was charged Oct. 12 with second-degree murder after police were called to her Oluolu Street home and discovered her 4-month-old infant son stabbed to death. The girl lived at the home with her mother and the family recently moved to Kona from California.

Firefighters battle Kihei brush fire

KIHEI, Maui – A nighttime fire Oct. 18 burned approximately an acre of dry brush near Mokulele Highway and North Kihei Road. The fire was in the same area as an earlier brush fire two days prior on Oct. 16.
Firefighters from Kihei and Kahului along with tankers from Wailea and Kahului were dispatched at 11:30 p.m. The fire was extinguished by 3:30 a.m.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
The Oct. 16 brush fire was believed to have been started by an electrical short circuit on a utility pole.

HONOLULU, O‘ahu– Hawaii continues to pull up the read in scholastic achievement.
According to the results of the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the state’s eight-grade students were found to have the lowest average reading score in the nation.
a sample of fourth- and eighth-grade students are tested by NAEP every two years in reading, math and science. There were about 3,000 students per grade tested this year in Hawai‘i.
Hawai‘i was found to be statistically equivalent to Alabama, California, Mississippi and New Mexico. The only state with a slightly lower score was District of Columbia.
The Department of Education places part of the blame on the lack of qualified teachers in Hawai‘i. Approximately 500 vacancies throughout the state are filled with unqualified and unlicensed teachers.

LIHU‘E, Kaua‘i– A Waimea man who was shot by a Kaua‘i Police Department officer last month pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting a KPD officer, three counts of terroristic threatening, and criminal property damage.
Tavis Apo, 31, also pleaded not guilty last week to driving under the influence of drugs, and to reckless endangering.
He was shot in the face by KPD Officer Randy Ledesma near the Lihu‘e police headquarters on Ka‘ana Street Sept. 18.
Apo allegedly rammed the police car with his vehicle, and was attempting to do it again. He was allegedly waving a knife and a pellet gun during the incident, and was shot when he refused to surrender or give up his weapons.
Apo remains in custody at the Kauai Community Correctional Center in Wailua. His bail is set at $75,000.
A trial is scheduled for Jan. 30, 2006.

LIHU'E, Kaua'i–A data drive containing the names and Social Security numbers of patient at Wilcox Memorial Hospital was reported missing Oct. 5. Hospital officials warned patients of a possible security breach.
The drive contains data on 130,000 patients who have been served by the hospital for the past 12 years.
According to the hospital, there has been no indication it has been used for fraudulent purposes, and it is not entirely clear whether the drive was stolen or mislaid.