A 32-year-old man charged with murder in the death of another man whose body was found burned in an apartment fire in Pearl City made his initial appearance at Honolulu District Court today.

Scott D. Deangelo appeared via video conference from the courthouse cellblock before Judge Kristine Yoo on charges of second-degree murder in the death of Demond Cox. He was also charged with place to keep a firearm.

Deangelo, who witnesses reportedly saw jump from a window from a fourth-floor unit of an apartment building on the night of Feb. 8, used a walker to enter and exit the courthouse cellblock today. His left hand was also bandaged.

A preliminary hearing has been set for Feb. 24. His aggregate bail has been set at $500,000.

Honolulu police responded to an argument and fire at an apartment at 906 Lehua Avenue on Feb. 8.

Witnesses reportedly saw a man later identified as Deangelo jump from a window of the fourth-floor unit onto the sidewalk and fled in a white sport utility vehicle. After firefighters extinguished the blaze, a severely burned body was found in the kitchen.

Police recovered a knife near the body.

A Honolulu medical examiner determined an injury to the victim’s neck was consistent with the knife recovered from the scene, according to a police affidavit.

Deangelo and Cox were acquaintances.

Police said a neighbor heard a fight, someone screaming in pain and several popping sounds that sounded similar to gunshots coming from the unit before the fire broke out.

The next afternoon, police located Deangelo in Laie with burns to his hand and cuts to his arms. Officers recovered a loaded pistol from Deangelo’s waist and bullets from his pants pocket.