Authorities have released the names of the two people involved in last Friday’s murder-suicide in Po`ipu. According to the Associated Press, Ryan Masumoto, 32, fatally stabbed Michelle Ramos, 26, at Keoki’s Paradise restaurant. The victim was employed there as a
Authorities have released the names of the two people involved in last Friday’s
murder-suicide in Po`ipu.
According to the Associated Press, Ryan Masumoto,
32, fatally stabbed Michelle Ramos, 26, at Keoki’s Paradise restaurant. The
victim was employed there as a waitress.
Masumoto then apparently hung
himself at Kaumakani Beach.
According to Kaua`i Police inspector Melvin
Morris, the couple had been involved in previous domestic violence
complaints.
Relatives of the victim said she had been trying to end a more
than four-year relationship with Masumoto when she was killed.
Ramos had
worked as a server at Keoki’s Paradise for three months. Rich Ditmars, manager
of the restaurant, said employees were mourning her death.
“Keoki’s
employees operate as a tightly knit family, and so the death of this very
special lady is a personal tragedy for each of us,” Ditmars said in a prepared
statement. “Our main concern now is for her family, and we pray that their fond
memories of her will help to ease their grief.”
Police were called about
the stabbing at 1:55 p.m. Ramos was pronounced dead at Wilcox Memorial Hospital
at 3 p.m.
Police were mounting an all-island search for Masumoto when his
body was discovered.
Ramos was the sixth person known to have been murdered
on Kaua`i in 2000. Two – Lisa Bissell, 38, and Daren Singer, 43 – were victims
of an apparent serial killer. The other four, including Ramos, knew their
murderer.
Matthew Blankswade, 21, is awaiting trial for allegedly shooting
his girlfriend’s father, Jeff Brisebois, 48, in the head while the victim slept
last June.
Howard I. Giddens, 27, remains in an Oahu jail awaiting trial
for the shooting death of neighbor Colan Fernandes in Hanama’ulu in
September.
Gregory Aguiar, 50, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder
earlier this month in the burning death of his wife Miulan Aguiar, who died at
an Oahu hospital three weeks after her husband doused her with fluid and set
her afire March 12.
There were no murders on Kaua`i in 1998 or
1999.
Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252)
and dwilken@pulitzer.net
