An 18-year-old man accused in the deadly Waikiki shooting of a 22-year-old man pleaded not guilty to a murder charge at Circuit Court on Thursday.
Jordan Smith appeared at his arraignment in court before Judge Colette Garibaldi via closed-circuit video link from Oahu Community Correctional Center. A deputy public defender pleaded not guilty on Smith’s behalf to second-degree murder in the death of Maleko Remlinger of Kaneohe.
Smith also pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree attempted murder, two counts of second-degree attempted murder and firearm offenses.
Electric monitor finds missing inmate
Police tracked and caught a missing work furlough inmate Thursday afternoon within a span of an hour and 20 minutes with the help of prison staff relaying coordinates.
Inmate Travis Massey was wearing an electronic monitor when he failed to return to the Oahu Community Correctional Center at 3 p.m. Thursday.
Police tracked down Massey in Waikiki and arrested him at 4:20 p.m.
Massey, who is serving time for first- and second-degree burglary and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, is a community custody inmate in the work furlough program, the Department of Public Safety said. He now faces an escape charge.
Massey’s next parole hearing is scheduled for January.
Robbery suspect appears in court
A 39-year-old man suspected of robbing a 49-year-old female visitor from Massachusetts made his initial appearance Thursday in South Hilo District Court.
Hawaii County police charged Benny Rapoza Jr. on Wednesday with second-degree robbery and first-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle. His bail was set at $10,000 and a judge ordered him to appear for a preliminary hearing Monday.
Police said an unknown man allegedly entered the woman’s rental car, which was parked on the Panaewa zoo entrance road, and began removing her belongings.
The woman told police the man tried to retreat to his own vehicle when she confronted him. He then put his arm around her neck, dragged her roughly 15 feet and threw her to the ground.
Police arrested Rapoza on Tuesday night at a home in Puna.
Anyone with additional information about this investigation is asked to call Detective Grant Todd at 961-2381.
Anonymous tipsters may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.
