A 46-year-old man who stabbed his wife and three children to death early Sunday in Manoa before killing himself did it to escape crushing debt, according to the preliminary findings of a Honolulu Police Department investigation.

Homicide detectives forensically examined and analyzed data pulled from electronics found at the home, including mobile phones and home surveillance footage, and conducted interviews with family members and friends.

In late 2023, Paris Oda was “struggling financially” and behind on car, tuition and loan payments, said Lt. Deena Thoemmes, head of HPD’s homicide detail, during a news conference Friday.

Paris Oda told a relative that “it was his responsibility to fix it.”

He shared his money problems with wife, Naoko Oda, 48, and the couple made changes, but the financial problems persisted into January. Paris Oda contacted a real estate agent to put a second property up for sale.

In February he told his wife that “he had not paid taxes for years.”

Oda owned and operated Oda Ohana Chiropractic and Medical Massage LLC, but he was not getting enough patients and started to work as an Uber driver.

“In the middle of February, Paris texted his wife that they needed to plan to do it. He said he could not take it anymore, and he told her that their children needed to come with them because no one could take better care of them than he could,” said Thoemmes.

Text messages between different people reviewed by investigators determined that the “time to do it” meant they had previously discussed “taking their lives — him, his wife and the children.”

Naoko Oda tried to be optimistic and encouraged her husband, suggesting they move to Japan and live with her parents, but Paris Oda said “he was done and too tired.”

He started to “withdraw and become quiet and distant.”

As tax season approached, Oda told relatives “he would rather die before going to jail for unpaid taxes.”

“At that time, he also said that he would kill his family and burn the house down,” said Thoemmes.

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Oda sent a message to someone asking for a gun, but the person he sent it to did not respond. He talked to a Realtor about selling the family’s home at 3622 Waaloa Place in Manoa.

“Based on the investigation so far, the motives for the four murders was Paris’ financial distress,” said Thoemmes.

At about 8:34 a.m. Sunday, patrol officers were sent to the Manoa home after a 911 caller initiated a “suspicious- circumstance report of screaming in the area.”

Police officers arrived and searched for the 911 caller but could not find her. Officers walked up the stairs of the home and knocked on the front door, but no one answered.

Officers listened but could not hear any screaming or yelling, and neighbors told police they didn’t hear anything.

Responding officers tried to use the 911 system to call back the woman, but it currently does not support international numbers, like the one the woman used.

“The city’s 911 system has the ability to call back the caller if it is a nationwide number; or any other state numbers, we can call it back; but an international number, we do not have the capability at this time. We’re working with the city, just in case we get dropped calls or callers using international phone numbers, we’re going to have that ability to call them back quickly, so we’re working with the city on upgrading our system,” said HPD Maj. Calvin Sung, the department’s communications officer.

Officers left the house but came back when the same woman called 911 again, at 9:15 a.m.

Police arrived and met the woman, who said she was the Odas’ tenant, and officers noted she was “visibly shaken.”

The woman told police she was in her room when she heard screaming between 2 and 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning. She locked herself in her room when she heard screaming just outside the door.

She did not meet police the first time they came because she was frightened after “seeing blood seep under her bedroom door.” When police returned a second time, the woman climbed out of a window to meet them.

Officers immediately checked the front door and found it locked. Police saw an unresponsive person through the window and called out but got no answer.

Officers entered through the back door and found Oda lying dead, in blood in the hallway, with stab wounds to the chest and a kitchen knife in his right hand.

Oda, who grew up on Kauai, died of “stab wounds of the chest,” and the manner of death was suicide, according to the city Department of the Medical Examiner’s findings.

In the first bedroom, officers found Odas’ eldest child, 17-year-old Sakurako “Sakura” Oda, dead on the floor “in a pool of blood with visible stab wounds to the leg and upper body.”

The ‘Iolani School senior died of “multiple sharp force injuries.”

In another bedroom, police found the Odas’ middle child, 12-year-old Orion Oda.

The sixth grader at School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability public charter school was lying in bed, dead, with visible stab wounds to his chest area.

He died from “sharp force wounds of torso.”

In the master bedroom of the home, police found the dead body of the Odas’ youngest child, 10-year-old Nana Oda.

The Manoa Elementary School student had “visible stab wounds to her back” and died of “sharp force wounds of torso.” On the floor, just behind the door, was the body of Naoko Oda, who had stab wounds to her upper body.

She died of “multiple sharp force injuries.”

The manner of death for each child and Naoko Oda was homicide, according to the Medical Examiner’s office.

“All four victims had defensive wounds on their hands and wrists. It is very probable that the life- threatening injuries that they sustained killed them within a few hours of the incident,” said Thoemmes.

Paris Oda’s family released a statement Friday after the Medical Examiner confirmed the identities of the dead.

“As we continue to grieve and make sense of this tragedy, the Oda family would like to express our gratitude to everyone who has reached out to us with their outpouring of support. It has been extremely difficult for our entire family to understand and accept the circumstances about why Naoko, Sakurako, Orion, Nana, and Paris are no longer with us,” read the statement. “Our hearts are forever broken and we are searching for a path that gives us some solace and the hope needed to go forward with our daily lives. At this time, we appreciate the public’s understanding of our family’s request for privacy. The showing of aloha from friends, colleagues, and community members means more than any of you will ever know. Thank you.”

In a note to the SEEQS family this week, Orion Oda was remembered as being “sweet, funny, and brought so much energy and fun to all school activities.”

He was affectionately known as “Onion,” according to the school.

“He was friends with students in all grades, and loved to play soccer and basketball during recess. He started the year with a strong group of friends from his previous school Manoa Elementary, and was quick to make new friends once he got to SEEQS,” read the newsletter to the school community. “We will miss his smile and his contagious positivity.”

In a letter sent to the Manoa Elementary School community this week, Principal Jason Okamoto asked “for the time and space for our teachers and students to process and grieve as a school community and family.”

The school dedicated a spot on campus for students and staff to share memories and grieve at a tree near Nana Oda’s classroom. Students have been leaving notes, messages and gifts in remembrance of Nana.

‘Iolani School had “no additional comments” about Sakurako Oda, according to a spokesperson. She was scheduled to graduate with the class of 2024.