HILO — A Hawaii homicide suspect surrendered himself at a police station holding a bloody bat believed to have been used in the killing, authorities said.
Stanley Marion Cummins, 51, appeared at a Big Island police station with the bat Saturday, The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported.
Cummins is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 35-year-old Jace Whitney Ahquin.
Cummins told police he went to the Pahoa station to turn in evidence of the killing earlier that morning.
Cummins told officers “self-defense is self-defense” as he was being booked, police documents said.
Cummins told officers he went downstairs in his home to confront Ahquin, who was a tenant in the home.
Cummins told officers he hit Ahquin in the head “approximately three times” with the bat as Ahquin lay in bed, police records said.
There was no explanation of a motive for the attack.
Puna police responded shortly before 7 a.m. to the home after receiving a call from someone reporting Ahquin had been hit with a bat.
Officers entering the home heard gasping noises and found Ahquin with “a major indentation to his face” and “gasping for air,” records said.
Ahquin died before Hawaii Fire Department medics arrived.
Cummins did not enter a plea during his initial appearance Monday in Hilo District Court. His court-appointed attorney, Don Wilkerson, requested a reduction of the $1 million bail, saying Cummins is unemployed and relies on government assistance.
Judge Harry Freitas maintained the bail amount and scheduled Cummins for a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
