A 55-year-old inmate in Hawaii has been charged with second-degree murder after allegedly stabbing his girlfriend to death and attacking his estranged wife while on a work release furlough. John Nihipali, serving a 25-year sentence for assaulting the same estranged wife, was arrested following the incidents in Kapolei and McCully. Police linked the attacks through surveillance footage and his ankle monitor.
John Nihipali, 55, was participating in a resocialization furlough pass from the Oahu Community Correctional Center when the attacks occurred on Friday. According to the Honolulu Police Department, surveillance cameras captured Nihipali entering his girlfriend's home in McCully just after 10:30 a.m. He left around 2:45 p.m. in her vehicle and drove to his estranged wife's residence in Kapolei, arriving near 4 p.m.
At 4:15 p.m., police responded to reports of a stabbing at the Kapolei home. Nihipali had stabbed his 53-year-old estranged wife in the neck, but a 30-year-old man interrupted him. The wife escaped and called 911. Officers subdued and arrested Nihipali outside the home.
Just over an hour later, at 5:30 p.m., authorities received a call about an unresponsive 53-year-old woman at a McCully residence. The woman, identified as Nihipali's girlfriend, had multiple stab wounds, including defensive injuries on her hands. Police initially treated it as an unattended death but later connected it to the earlier incident via the ankle monitor and vehicle.
Nihipali's estranged wife remained hospitalized but was improving, Honolulu Police homicide Lt. Deena Thoemmes stated during a Friday press conference. Nihipali had been serving a 25-year sentence for second-degree assault against her.
On Saturday, charges were filed against Nihipali including attempted first-degree murder, second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, burglary, and escape. He is held without bail at the Oahu Community Correctional Center.