HILO — A 50-year-old Honomu man who stabbed his housemate to death will not go to prison — at the request of the victim’s family.
Man gets probation
for stabbing death
HILO — A 50-year-old Honomu man who stabbed his housemate to death will not go to prison — at the request of the victim’s family.
Daniel Schuster was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years probation after pleading guilty to manslaughter in September for the slaying of 30-year-old Joshua Trickel on July 22, 2012, at Schuster’s Pua Street home. Hilo Circuit Judge Glenn Hara also sentenced Schuster to two years in jail with credit for time served. Schuster, who could have received a 20-year prison term, spent almost 15 months in jail before his release on Sept. 6. He won’t return to jail if he complies with conditions of his probation, which also include 400 hours of community service.
Schuster was originally charged with second-degree murder — which carries a mandatory life sentence with the possibility of parole — as well as third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug. Two glass pipes and a zip-close bag, all containing methamphetamine residue, were reportedly found in Schuster’s home.
The plea deal with prosecutors was struck at the request of Trickel’s mother, Leslie Peters, and one of his sisters, according to Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Shannon Kagawa.
“She strongly recommended and supported the plea agreement,” Kagawa said. She added that Peters is giving Schuster “a chance to make a change in his life … as we said in court, to find a way to honor the life of Joshua.”
Kagawa said she’d never seen such compassion in her time as a prosecutor.
Corporation makes top bid for Naniloa Volcanoes Resort
A corporation recently formed in Hawaii has made the top bid for the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort.
But they’re not quite the new kids on the block.
Ramco Properties LLC of Honolulu is offering $3.7 million for the troubled hotel on Hilo’s Banyan Drive. The bid narrowly beats an offer of $3.5 million submitted by America Asia Travel Center Inc. last month.
Both bids are significantly under the $6.1 million the current owner, Hawaii Outdoor Tours Inc., which is going through bankruptcy, paid for the hotel in 2006.
According to documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Ramco Properties is owned by the RAM Corporation, which is the majority owner of the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, also located on Banyan Drive.
Ramco Properties was formed Oct. 15, according to the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
The sale would essentially put the company in control of East Hawaii’s two largest hotels.
The Hilo Hawaiian has 286 rooms.
The Naniloa has 383 rooms (some remain closed due to incomplete renovations) and a nine-hole golf course.
Both are located on Hilo Bay.
Police seeking
robbery suspect
Big Island police are investigating an attempted robbery Tuesday afternoon at a fast-food restaurant in Hilo.
Shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday, a man entered the Subway restaurant on Lanikaula Street. He claimed he had a gun and demanded cash. After the female victim refused to give him money, the suspect fled on foot up Lanikaula Street. He may have gotten into a black Toyota four-door sedan on Kapiolani Street just off Lanikaula Street.
The suspect is described as Asian, between 5 feet 1 and 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds with brown eyes. His hair color was obscured by a gray hooded sweatshirt and a hat. He was also wearing dark shorts, a black-and-white flannel shirt and dark rubber shoes.
Police ask anyone with information about this case to contact Lt. Gregory Esteban at 961-2252 or gesteban@co.hawaii.hi.us.
Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
by local sources