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Honolulu StranglerHawaii's first known serial killer
Country:
 USA |
Content:
- The Honolulu Strangler: A Biography
- The First Victim: Vicki Gail Purdy
- The Second Victim: Regina Sakamoto
- The Third Victim: Denise Hughes
- The Fourth Victim: Louise Medeiros
- The Final Victim: Linda Pesce
- The Investigation and Aftermath
The Honolulu Strangler: A Biography
The Honolulu Strangler, the first known serial killer in Hawaii, is believed to be responsible for the murders of five women in Honolulu. Despite an extensive investigation, the killer was never apprehended.
The First Victim: Vicki Gail Purdy
The Honolulu Strangler's first victim was Vicki Gail Purdy, a 25-year-old woman and the wife of Army helicopter pilot Gary Purdy. On May 29, 1985, Vicki went to a nightclub in the Waikiki area to meet with friends. However, the meeting did not take place, and Vicki took a taxi to the 'Shorebird' hotel, presumably to retrieve her car from the hotel parking. The taxi driver was the last person to see her alive. The next morning, Vicki's body was found in a sandbank at Keehi Lagoon. She was wearing a yellow jumpsuit, her hands were tied behind her back, and she had been sexually assaulted and strangled. Gary Purdy expressed his suspicions to the police, believing that Vicki's death may have been related to her work at a pornographic video rental store, where two women had been killed a year earlier.
The Second Victim: Regina Sakamoto
The second victim, Regina Sakamoto, was a 17-year-old student at Leilehua High School. On January 14, 1986, she failed to catch her bus from Waipahu to school. The last person to hear from her was her boyfriend, who received a phone call from her at 7:15 am, informing him that she would be late. Her body was discovered on January 15 at Keehi Lagoon. She was wearing a blue shirt and a white T-shirt, but her lower body was uncovered. Like the first victim, Regina had her hands tied behind her back, and she had been sexually assaulted and strangled. The police suspected a connection between the cases of Purdy and Sakamoto based on the killer's 'modus operandi.'
The Third Victim: Denise Hughes
Denise Hughes, a 21-year-old secretary at a telephone company, became the third victim. She commuted to work by bus and actively participated in her Christian church activities. When Denise did not show up for work on January 30, 1986, her body was found on February 1 by three young fishermen in the waters of Moanalua. She was wearing a blue dress, wrapped in a blue tarp. Denise, with her hands tied, had also been sexually assaulted and strangled. Following this murder, the police formed a task force on February 5 to capture the serial killer.
The Fourth Victim: Louise Medeiros
Louise Medeiros, a 25-year-old resident of Waipahu, disappeared after visiting her family in Kauai. She had bought a ticket for a night flight back to Oahu on March 26, telling her family she would take a bus home from the airport. She disembarked from the plane but never arrived home. Her decomposing body was found by road workers on April 2 near Waikele stream. Louise, tied up and dressed in a blouse, was naked from the waist down. Subsequently, the police set up a stakeout, known as a 'baiting operation,' using female police officers stationed around the Honolulu International Airport and Keehi Lagoon.
The Final Victim: Linda Pesce
The last victim of the Honolulu Strangler was Linda Pesce, a 36-year-old resident of Honolulu. According to her neighbors, she left for work in the evening on April 29. Thirty minutes later, her car was found parked on the side of H-1 highway. Her neighbor reported her missing on April 30. On May 3, a 43-year-old white man informed the police that a psychic had told him the location of Linda's body. When the police arrived at Sand Island, where the informant directed them, they did not find the body. However, after searching the island, they eventually discovered Linda's body. She was completely naked, with her hands tied behind her back. The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) formed a 27-member task force on February 5, 1986, with assistance from the FBI and the Green River Task Force. According to the killer's profile, they were looking for an opportunistic assailant who targeted vulnerable women at places such as bus stops. It was also believed that he lived or worked in Waipahu or Sand Island. The police closed highways to question passengers frequently using public transportation. Witnesses reported seeing a light-colored van and a white or mixed-race man with Linda's car.
The Investigation and Aftermath
After the discovery of Linda's body, the police arrested the informant, who became the prime suspect. His ex-wife and current girlfriend described him as a "braggart." They also revealed their involvement in his sadomasochistic games, engaging in sex with him while their hands were tied behind their backs. The suspect's girlfriend confirmed that he was not at home during the time of the murders. He resided in Ewa Beach and worked as a mechanic near Lagoon Drive. Between 8:00 pm and 3:00 am, he underwent a polygraph test but was eventually released. A $25,000 reward was offered for information leading to the capture of the killer, and surveillance was placed on the suspect. Two months after the suspect's arrest, a woman came forward claiming to have seen him with Linda on the day of her murder. She successfully identified him from a photo lineup but refused to be a witness, fearing he had recognized her.
No further killings attributed to the Honolulu Strangler occurred, and the reward went unclaimed. The suspects eventually relocated to the mainland. The case went cold. In 2005, the prime suspect passed away in California or Tennessee.
