HFD uses Air 1 helicopter to rescue 2 hikers in Wahiawa, Manoa
Rescuers responded to a 10:01 a.m. 911 call regarding a male hiker who fell about 100 feet off the Puu Kalena Trail in Wahiawa. Read more
Leila Fujimori
Leila Fujimori is a reporter covering the courts beat for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
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She has been reporting professionally for more than 20 years beginning in October 1999 with the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. She was retained by its new owner in 2001 and again when the newspaper merged into the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in 2010.
Earlier in her career, a Feb. 10, 2001 article titled, "I want to tell my parents I am alive," got national and international attention with the first interview of anyone who had been aboard the Ehime Maru. The New York Times used quotes she obtained from a 16-year-old student who survived the sinking of the Japanese fishing vessel by a U.S. Navy submarine, and gave a nod to the Star-Bulletin. The Toronto Star ran the story. Fujimori also shared a 2004 Society of Professional Journalists award with two colleagues for a breaking news story, "1 dead/Cop Shot."
Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, volunteering to protect native forests, beekeeping, farming, traveling, singing and spending time with her "dogter."
Latest Stories by Leila Fujimori
Keeaumoku Walmart stabbing suspect indicted on 2 charges
An Oahu grand jury Wednesday indicted a 33-year-old man on one count of second-degree attempted murder in the June 15 stabbing of a 32-year-old Walmart employee outside the Keeaumoku Street Walmart store. Read more
Judge finds former OCCC officer guilty of murdering his mother
An Oahu Circuit Court judge found Anthony F. Pereira II guilty as charged Tuesday of second-degree murder in the June 10, 2016, shooting death of his 66-year-old mother, Barbara Pereira, at his home in Maili. Read more
Judge finds ex-OCCC officer guilty of murdering his mother
Pereira testified that he shot his mother in the leg on June 10, 2016, but said he couldn’t remember that he shot her twice in the head with a semiautomatic rifle. Read more
Ex-OCCC officer admits shooting mom
A former Corrections Division training officer took the stand Friday at his murder and kidnapping trial and admitted to shooting his 66-year-old mother but cannot recall firing two shots to her head. Read more
Woman describes captivity in alleged kidnapping
A 56-year-old Waianae woman testified Thursday to the harrowing details of being held captive in June 2016 for three days in the house of a Maili man she had just met. Read more
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Ex-OCCC officer in murder, kidnapping case called ‘emotional’
Police officers’ testimony Tuesday provided clues as to what was on the mind of a then 44-year-old Oahu Community Correctional Center training officer after he allegedly fatally shot his 66-year-old mother eight years ago in his Maili home. Read more
Trial to begin for ex-OCCC officer in 2016 murder, kidnapping case
A former Oahu Community Correctional Center training officer, indicted eight years ago on murder and kidnapping charges in the 2016 fatal shooting of his 66-year-old mother and kidnapping of a 48-year-old woman, made a last-minute request Monday for a jury- waived trial in Oahu Circuit Court. Read more
Lawsuit filed against state, Catholic Charities and DHS
A civil lawsuit filed on behalf of a 5-year-old adopted son of Brandy Blas and Thomas Blas, who were charged with the murder and abuse of 10-year-old Geanna Bradley, reveals he had numerous scars and bruises and suffered from malnutrition and developmental delays. Read more
Man found mentally fit for trial in Ala Moana acid attack
Sebastian Mahkwan, one of two men indicted in a murder-for-hire plot in the Jan. 23 acid attack on a Chinese-language teacher, was found mentally fit Monday to stand trial. Read more
Midwives ask court to stop Hawaii law that requires licensing to practice
Kiana Rowley, a registered nurse, testified Monday in Circuit Court that she is paying $100,000 in tuition to become a certified nurse midwife after a Hawaii law requiring midwives to have a state-issued license went into full effect July 1. Read more
Judge denies supervised release, bail for Wahiawa woman in child death case
Debra Geron is one of three family members indicted in the murder of a 10-year-old girl at their Wahiawa home. Read more
Hawaii island man to get new trial in sex assault case
A Hawaii Supreme Court majority opinion filed Wednesday ordered a new trial for a Hawaii island man, tried and convicted by a Kona Circuit Court jury for sexually assaulting in 2019 a visiting 78-year-old woman camping at a South Kohala beach park. He was 18 years old at the time of the attack. Read more
Man, 20, is indicted in deadly game room shooting in Wahiawa
First-degree attempted murder is a crime punishable by life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Read more
Falck protests EMS contracts for Maui, Kauai going to AMR
The company that initially won the state contracts for emergency medical services for Maui and Kauai counties and then lost it in a rebidding process is formally contesting awarding of the work to International Life Support, dba American Medical Response, or AMR. Read more
Fired Red Cross CEO alleges discrimination
Former American Red Cross Pacific Islands Region CEO Diane Peters-Nguyen issued a written statement Wednesday saying she was fired in April, weeks after she filed complaints against her employer with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over retaliation she alleges she faced for objecting to Red Cross’ treatment of Native Hawaiians and other lifelong Maui residents after the 2023 Lahaina fires. Read more
State pays $1.8M to settle former Hawaii foster kids’ lawsuit
Three former foster children, now adults, of George Kipapa and his late wife, Jolyn Kipapa, agreed to a $1.8 million settlement in a lawsuit alleging abuses they suffered as foster children over 18 years. Read more
Hawaii island psychologist sentenced for assaulting teen patient
A 72-year-old Kailua-Kona clinical psychologist on Friday was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting a teenage boy in 2019. Read more
AMR awarded ambulance contract for Maui, Kauai
AMR had been a contractor for both counties for 44 years before controversy arose in 2023 when Falck Northwest Corp., a multinational company based in Denmark, was selected. Read more
Man, 20, faces multiple charges in fatal Wahiawa game room shooting
The charge of first-degree attempted murder, which carries a life sentence without the possibility of parole, is for allegedly attempting to kill more than one person. Read more
Man who allegedly shot at girlfriend indicted
An Oahu grand jury indicted a 45-year-old Kapolei man on a charge of first-degree attempted murder, which carries a life sentence without the possibility of parole, and seven other charges for allegedly firing shots May 16 at his girlfriend and ramming her Jeep with his vehicle in Waimanalo. Read more
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