Man pleads not guilty to Kailua murder

A 31-year-old man who fled Oahu just before being charged with murder pleaded not guilty Monday to fatally stabbing a homeless man in Kailua three months ago.

Robert Roediger-Geauque, 31, who has no local address, entered his plea before Circuit Judge Randal Lee on Monday via a closed-circuit video conference call from Oahu Community Correctional Center. His criminal trial is slated begin the week of June 16, before Circuit Judge Karen Ahn.

Roediger-Geauque was extradited to Hawaii on April 4 after his arrest in Santa Barbara, Calif., on March 6 based on a Hawaii arrest warrant. An Oahu grand jury indicted him on March 11 on a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of Scott MacMillan on Uluniu Street near Cinnamon’s Restaurant in Kailua on Jan. 13.

Roediger-Geauque also is scheduled to appear at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in Kaneohe District Court on a separate misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree sexual assault for allegedly exposing himself to a woman July 24. He pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the sexual assault charge.

He remains in custody at OCCC, unable to post $5 million bail on the murder charge.

Assault is now a murder case after victim dies

Maui police said a 44-year-old homeless man who was assaulted March 15 at Kalama Park in Kihei has died, and the case has been reclassified as a murder case from attempted murder.

Michael Phillip Gray, also known as "Smiley," died Friday at Maui Memorial Medical Center from injuries he sustained.

Police arrested a man from Kihei and two juvenile males in connection with the investigation.

Police said Gray was found unconscious on the ground near a pavilion by the skating rink, and that he suffered multiple injuries.

Because Gray died, the case was reclassified as a second-degree murder, police said.

Anyone with information concerning the case is asked to call Detective Jeffrey Mahoney at 875-5409 or CrimeStoppers at 242-6966.