The 17-year-old Maili boy charged as an adult with murder in the Feb. 17 shooting death of rancher Cranston Pia in Makaha, will be transferred to the Oahu Community Correctional Center by Monday, his 18th birthday.
Circuit Judge Ronald Johnson signed the order Wednesday to have Chantston Pila Kekawa transported from the juvenile detention center, Hale Hoomalu, before 11:59 p.m. Sunday, and taken to OCCC. The order also confirms that he be held without bail, in accordance with a grand jury bench warrant.
Deputy Prosecutor Melody Kaohu made the oral motion at his arraignment Monday for the transfer and no-bail confirmation.
The 17-year-old pleaded not guilty to the charges. His jury trial is set for Dec. 2.
Pila Kekawa was indicted Sept. 20 on charges of second-degree murder, first-degree terroristic threatening, two felony firearm offenses and first- degree theft. He allegedly fired a single shot to the head of the 39-year-old rancher.
Pila Kekawa was initially arrested Feb. 18, and had been held in the juvenile detention facility. But a Family Court judge waived the court’s jurisdiction, and Pila Kekawa was transferred to the Circuit Court’s Criminal Division.
According to court documents, the rancher’s mother, who owns the Ohikilolo Ranch where her son lived, told police he fired a single warning shot at what he thought were wild dogs trying to injure his steer.
The court documents say a male, later identified as Pila Kekawa, then appeared from a bush and asked why Pia shot at his dogs, and a verbal altercation began.
Pia’s mother said she tried to intervene, but Pila Kekawa allegedly pushed and threatened to shoot the mother with the black handgun he held, according to reports.
Pia’s mother told police she heard a gunshot and saw her son fall to the ground.
She called 911, and administered CPR to her son.
Honolulu Prosecutor Steve Alm had Pila Kekawa, also known as Chantston Pala Kekawa and Chantston Pila, charged as an adult for what he called an “execution-style murder.”
