Kaneohe Marine pleads not guilty to murder in H-3 stabbing death of ex-wife
COURTESY PHOTO
U.S. Marine Bryant Tejada-Castillo, 29, right, with ex-wife Dana Alotaibi, 27.
The 29-year-old Kaneohe Marine, accused of stabbing his 27-year-old ex-wife to death on the side of the H-3 freeway, pleaded not guilty this morning to the charge of second-degree murder.
U.S. Marine Sgt. Bryant Tejeda-Castillo was indicted July 27 in the death of Dana Alotaibi, who was found July 20 on the side of the H-3 westbound lanes near the Kamehameha Highway off-ramp.
Tejeda-Castillo appeared by video teleconferencing, at his arraignment this morning before Circuit Judge Christine Kuriyama.
He pleaded not guilty and asked for a jury trial.
Trial is set for Oct. 3 before Judge Catherine Remigio.
Alotaibi described herself as a musician, artist and adult content creator. She had a substantial presence on social media, with over 169,000 followers on her social media accounts.
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The judge denied his request for a reduction in bail, and he remains in custody at the Oahu Community Correctional Center, unable to post $1 million bail.
A witness traveling near the scene saw a man, later identified as Tejeda-Castillo, slit a woman’s neck with a knife while standing over the victim, then stabbed her numerous times in the face, neck and head, according to police in court documents.
Another witness said she saw a man and woman apparently fighting outside a vehicle, then saw the man stab her with a knife. The woman, who was identified as Alotaibi, was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Witnesses saw Tejeda-Castillo stab himself in the neck and run into the bushes.
Tejeda-Castillo was treated at the hospital for his apparent self-inflicted wounds.
He is assigned to the 3rd Littoral Combat Team at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
MCBH officials said they received complaints of domestic disputes and tried to help the couple with law enforcement intervention and counseling.
Alotaibi alleged in social media posts Tejeda-Castillo cheated on her while deployed in Japan.
Public social media posts and and private messages by her and her friends say his chain of command ignored her reports of domestic violence and that he threatened to kill her.
