Human remains were recovered Tuesday in the rubble of a fire that followed the fatal shooting of two Honolulu police officers near Diamond Head on Sunday.
The suspected gunman and his landlady are the focus of the police and fire department probe. The two are unaccounted for and may have died in the blaze.
Seventy-seven-year-old Lois Cain was evicting her tenant, 69-year-old Jaroslav “Jarda” Hanel, when a confrontation took place Sunday morning.
Hanel had a long history of harassing his neighbors and Cain was made aware of the problems, according to Honolulu attorney David Hayakawa who represented three clients with restraining orders against Hanel.
"When she came here to try to evict him, the same neighbors who had been the subject of the harassment went to her and said, 'You can’t. You have to be careful. You don’t understand what he’s like. You haven’t been here. You’re in danger.' And apparently she didn’t take it to heart," he said.
Cain’s lawyer, Kenneth Lau, says Hanel had been living at the Hibiscus Drive home rent-free for at least 12 years. Cain traveled frequently and Lau says it helped to have Hanel watching over the place.
The eviction case was set for trial this Friday. But Hayakawa, the residents’ attorney, says Cain should have taken action sooner.
He said neighbors complained that Hanel hid in bushes, chased cars down the street, and recorded people with a camera on his hat.
"It was this constant anger and harrassment. He was like a ticking time bomb. You know? You didn?t know what was behind this and if he would ever explode," Hayakawa said.
Investigators continue to search the burnt rubble for more evidence. The remains were transported to the medical examiner's office for identification.
Officers' Family Fund Opened
Honolulu police said a bank account has been opened for the families of the fallen officers, Tiffany Enriques and Kaulike Kalama, both of whom were parents. The public can drop off donations at the following locations:
• State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO)
1717 Hoe Street (Kalihi)
Monday thru Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• Hawaii Law Enforcement Federal Credit Union (HLEFCU)
Main Office
1537 Young Street, 3rd Floor (Makiki)
Monday thru Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• HLEFCU Kapolei Branch
889 Kamokila Boulevard
Monday thru Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• HLEFCU Pearl City Branch
1140 Kuala Street
Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
