The suspect and victim in a fatal stabbing Saturday lived in different parts of the same living room in a Pacific Palisades house, a deputy prosecutor told a state judge Wednesday.
The victim, 36-year-old Frank Kapesi, was the uncle of the suspect, 19-year-old Dean Victor Matuu.
An Oahu grand jury returned an indictment Wednesday charging Matuu with murder. Circuit Judge Richard Perkins confirmed Matuu’s bail at $250,000.
Matuu remained in custody at Oahu Community Correctional Center.
Deputy Prosecutor Chastity Imamura told Perkins that Matuu arrived at the home about 4 a.m. and started making some food. She said Kapesi, who was in the living room, got mad at his nephew and started yelling at Matuu.
Imamura said the two began to scuffle. At some point, she said, Matuu was able to break free, went to the kitchen, got a knife, returned to the living room and stabbed his uncle. She said Matuu then left the home.
A neighbor who told police he heard the commotion and found a bleeding Kapesi in the living room called 911.
A city ambulance crew took an unresponsive Kapesi to Pali Momi Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Kapesi died from multiple stab wounds to his torso, Imamura said.
Honolulu police said they arrested Matuu about 90 minutes after the stabbing at a bus stop down the road from the home. They said Matuu told officers he was going to meet his friends and girlfriend and denied killing anyone.
Police said they noticed little red dots on Matuu’s shorts that appeared to be dried blood and what appeared to be more dried blood on Matuu’s right leg and left hand.
