Police arrest man, 30, in Kaimuki fatal stabbing
Gary Lee Landis, 30, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of murder in the death of Thaddeus “Ted” Pirga Jr., of Hawaii Kai. (CrimeStoppers)
Thaddeus “Ted” Pirga Jr., Honolulu Star-Advertiser newspaper hawker, died No.v 9 after he was stabbed on the sidewalk of Waialae Ave. near 9th Ave. (Courtesy Tracy Dwire)
A 30-year-old man was arrested Tuesday in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 70-year-old man who sold newspapers in Kaimuki.
Honolulu police arrested Gary Lee Landis at 11:15 a.m. on suspicion of murder in the death of Thaddeus “Ted” Pirga Jr., of Hawaii Kai, according to a news release from CrimeStoppers and the Honolulu Police Department. Charges against Landis are pending.
Pirga, a retired welder and popular seller of the Sunday Honolulu Star-Advertiser in Kaimuki, died Nov. 9 after he was stabbed while at his post in front of Cafe Miro on Waialae Avenue.
Responding to a report at 3:40 a.m. about a man needing help, police found Pirga on the sidewalk where he had been stabbed. Paramedics took Pirga in critical condition to a hospital, where he died. Police then opened a second-degree murder case.
In late April, CrimeStoppers released grainy surveillance images of a man riding a moped who was wanted for questioning. He was described as possibly having a mohawk haircut, tattoos on both forearms, and wearing an aloha shirt.
