Honolulu Homicide: Murder and Mayhem in Paradise (Paperback)

by Gary A. Dias (Author), Robbie Dingeman (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Retired homicide lieutenant Gary A. Dias and reporter Robbie Dingeman provide inside information about some of Oahu's most disturbing crimes. Including the murders of State Representative Roland Kotani, police officer Troy Barboza, Diane Suzuki, Lisa Au and seven employees of the Xerox Corporation. In describing the circumstances surrounding domestic violence, sex crimes, serial killings, arson, child abductions, hostage taking and other crimes, Dias and Dingeman honor the victims and their families as they describe the responsibilities of the police, the courts and the media in investigating and reporting these crimes.

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Bess Press (October 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573061565
• ISBN-13: 978-1573061568
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #171,856 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dias and Dingeman are careful to protect facts , November 3, 2004

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Gary A. Dias spent twenty-seven years with the Honolulu Police Department, and his wife Robbie Dingeman has covered major stories in a Hawaiian newspaper since 1982. They have both changed positions, but Dias remains involved in security, and Dingeman covers health for THE HONOLULU ADVERTISER. Dias' first book was entitled HONOLULU COP.

Rather than writing another crime mystery, Dias and Dingeman have chosen to write a fascinating police procedural which covers many of the murders they were involved in O'ahu as that community transitioned from being a relatively small, tightly-knit town to a large city. Some of the higher profile crimes included the murders of Representative Roland Kotani, Diane Suzuki, and seven employees of the Xerox Corporation. Dias and Dingeman give the reader an inside peek at the actual investigations of each case presented:

"Police and prosecutors pieced together the events this way: Uyesugi walked into work that morning with a Glock 9-mm semiautomatic pistol with a seventeen- round magazine hidden in a holster under his aloha shirt. He saw one coworker, but kept walking down the hall. Then he pulled out the gun and shot Ronald Kawamae in the back of the head, killing him instantly. Jason Balatico responded by running toward the gunman, who turned on him, shooting him the wrist, chest, shoulder, neck, and back. He did not shoot another man who was in the room..."

Not only does the Dias team cover many of the murder cases of the period, they also include a comprehensive review of the police work involved. Some cases remain unsolved, and their frankness about what brought investigations up short is insightful and gives the reader an inside view on the tremendous stress of police work. The sometimes adversarial relationship between the police and press is examined, with an optimistic commentary on the strides that have been made in that area. Their book is unique and riveting to anyone with an interest in the subject of murder and provides a rare inside look at the police department in Honolulu.

Honolulu Homicide is a history of the past twenty-five years of the police department. Dias and Dingeman are careful to protect facts and are sensitive to the victim's families. A great read.

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for criminal justice students, November 24, 2004

By	David M. Heaukulani (Hilo, HI United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A real page turner. As an instructor in criminal justice at a community college I find this a great reference for students interested in the forensic side of police work. Since there is no established CSI type of technical course avaiable this is a great primer to keep them attracted to the field to focus on their primary interest as they develop their science curriculum. For those who worked for Honolulu Police in the 1980s this book will bring back memories. Kudos to the authors for a job well done.