The man slain by a 23-year-old machete-wielding man taunted him for staring at him during a bus ride, the victim’s companion told police.
Kumulipo Sylva reportedly followed the victim into a
Kahului department store restroom and told him he was “sent to end” him before delivering a single fatal swing of the machete, Maui police said in charging documents.
Sylva is scheduled for a preliminary hearing today in a Wailuku courtroom of Maui Circuit Court on the charge of second-degree murder. He appeared in court Tuesday by videoconferencing for his arraignment. He remained in custody, unable to post $500,000 bail.
Sylva waived his constitutional rights and confessed to police Monday morning that he killed Eduardo Cerezo, 35, of Makawao with a machete because he was a demon, charging documents said.
On Sunday, Sylva was on
a Maui County bus when Cerezo boarded the bus with a friend at 2 p.m. from a stop fronting the Pukalani Community Center, Maui police said in charging documents.
Cerezo noticed Sylva staring at him and taunted Sylva the entire bus ride, said his Cerezo’s friend Kyle Keoho, who got on the bus with him.
When the three men got off at Queen Kaahumanu Center at 275 W. Kaahumanu Ave., Sylva challenged Cerezo to a fight, Keoho said. Cerezo declined and walked away, according to Keoho.
Cerezo and Keoho went into the men’s restroom at Macy’s, and Sylva followed.
Sylva, holding a black machete, told Cerezo, “You’re not talking any (expletive) now?”
Cerezo responded that he didn’t have a problem with him and that he had a family.
“I was sent to end you,” Sylva said, according to
Keoho.
Sylva then raised the machete and swung it at Cerezo, who quickly fell to the floor. Keoho said he “saw blood
everywhere.”
Sylva fled, and Keoho called police at about
3:12 p.m. Cerezo was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, where he died at
3:24 p.m.
Conan Kahgee-Cutbush, who also witnessed the
slaying, heard Sylva say, “I’ve been sending demons to the moon.”
He said Sylva put the
machete into his backpack, and said, “Believe it or not, it was a demon,” and walked out of the restroom.
Police found and arrested Sylva at 4:24 p.m. at Kahului Community Center Park, and recovered the machete after Sylva told them where to find it.