WAILUKU — A Maui murder trial is nearing its conclusion.
WAILUKU — A Maui murder trial is nearing its conclusion.
The Maui News reports closing arguments are scheduled Thursday in the second-degree murder trial of 48-year-old Jesse Hueu in the death of Derrick Kualaau at Maliko Gulch in 2014.
Alex Kealoha, an inmate incarcerated with Hueu at Maui Community Correction Center, testified that Hueu said he bashed Kualaau in the back of his head after learning Kualaau had been hiding Hueu’s girlfriend after the couple fought.
Kualaau, 56, was found on the porch of his one-room shack on the evening of Dec. 11, 2014.
Jurors heard testimony that Kualaau suffered massive internal bleeding in his brain from severe blows that could have been caused by a baseball bat.
Forensic entomologist M. Lee Goff estimated the time of death was between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Another inmate testified last week that she picked up Hueu about 4:30 p.m. that day because she wanted to look for oxycodone. Lacie Olson said she drove them to a house in Haiku and that while Hueu was inside, she stayed in her car and slept until the next day because she was sick from withdrawal symptoms.
Kealoha previously told detectives Hueu said he killed Kualaau at night. In last week’s testimony, he said Hueu told him the killing was in the afternoon.
The trial began Nov. 8 before Judge Peter Cahill.
