An Oahu grand jury Wednesday indicted 33-year-old Leroy Charles Kelii Rodrigues in the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old Waianae man on March 13 in Aiea.
Rodrigues was indicted on one count of second-degree murder and two firearm charges in the death of Ethan Owens.
The Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office said in a news release that Owens and three other men went to Rodrigues’ Aiea home to collect a debt.
According to a court document, Rodrigues, armed with a rifle, met the four men at 2:12 p.m. March 13 outside his house at 99-627 Kaulainahee Place, and an argument broke out.
When Owens tried to leave in his vehicle, Rodrigues allegedly went up to the driver’s side of the vehicle, pointed the rifle and fired a single round into the left side of Owen’s face, according to a court document showing probable cause for a warrantless arrest.
Owens was critically injured and taken to Pali Momi Medical Center, where he died at 3:25 p.m.
Police recovered a Winchester Model 92 rifle.
One of the other men identified Rodrigues as the shooter.
Rodrigues was arrested at 2:17 p.m. March 13 on suspicion of attempted second-degree murder, and three outstanding warrants. After Owens’ death, the offense was changed to second-degree murder.
If convicted, Rodrigues could be subject to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole based on a state law that allows of two or more felonies to be sentenced to an extended term of imprisonment, the indictment says.
Second-degree murder carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole.
Rodrigues is also charged with carrying or use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony, which is a Class A felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and place to keep loaded firearms other than pistols and revolvers, a Class B felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Rodrigues is being held at the Oahu Community Correctional Center in lieu of $2 million bail.
The owner of the Kaulainahee Place house is Leroy C. Rodrigues, the grandfather of Travis Rodrigues, who is awaiting trial for murder in the death of his 18-month-old daughter, Kytana Ancog.
Travis Rodrigues, aka Travis Heffelinger, listed the house as his residence following his arrest.
Travis Rodrigues initially made a confession to police that he struck and squeezed the toddler until she was lifeless at the home of a friend in Aiea. He told police he placed her body in a duffel bag and gave it to a friend to dispose.
Ancog’s body was never found.
Leroy Charles Kelii Rodrigues is a first cousin of Travis Rodrigues, aka Travis Heffelinger, according to a relative.
Correction: Travis Rodrigues and Leroy Rodrigues III are first cousins. An earlier version of this story, citing unconfirmed media reports, said they were brothers.