On the morning of March 21, 1977, the tranquil atmosphere of Honolulu’s McKinley High School was shattered when the body of 16-year-old Dawn Momohara was discovered. Her lifeless form was found partially clothed, lying on her back on the second floor, with violence etched hauntingly on her features. The shocking discovery rippled through the school community, casting dark shadows on students and staff alike. Former Hawaii lawmaker Suzanne Chun Oakland, then just 15, recalled how the news of Momohara's death swept through the halls like wildfire, igniting whispers of horror and disbelief.
“I don’t know how we got word of it, but everything spread really quickly,” Chun Oakland reflected, her voice weighed down by the weight of decades gone by. Although she never knew Momohara personally, the tragedy left indelible marks on her and her classmates, resulting in unresolved grief and persistent memories.
Fast-forward nearly 50 years, and the once unsolved case saw first signs of resolution with the arrest of 66-year-old Gideon Castro. A former student of McKinley High, Castro was apprehended at a nursing home in Utah, thanks to remarkable advancements in DNA technology. Lt. Deena Thoemmes of the Honolulu Police detailed the chilling circumstances surrounding Momohara’s death, stating, “Momohara was found with an orange cloth tied around her neck.” An autopsy affirmed the tragic reality: she had been sexually assaulted and strangled.
The news of Castro’s arrest ignited renewed discussions within the community, stirring memories of the era and the persistent sense of injustice following the high school student’s murder. “I was just really sad,” said Chun Oakland, reflecting on the lasting impact the horrific event had on their school community. Fear loomed large as whispers floated about the possibility of the suspect still being out there, posing threats to others.
Momohara’s tragedy was more than just local news; it became intertwined with the spirit of the school. Grant Okamura, the school’s band teacher at the time, vividly remembered the impact of the murder on his students. On the day the news broke, one of Momohara's relatives, herself a student, entered Okamura’s classroom unaware of the heartbreak awaiting her.
“Those images never leave you,” Okamura recalled, speaking of the moment when students surrounded the grieving sister. The atmosphere turned heavy, leading Okamura to cancel band class out of respect for the trauma being experienced.
Investigators faced hurdles as they pursued leads following the murder. Witness reports described suspicious vehicles seen near the school, but time rolled on, and leads turned cold. Over the years, many samples were collected from the scene, including DNA, but no conclusive evidence emerged until recently.
Renewed interest arose when Oregon-based cold case detectives revisited the evidence surrounding Momohara’s murder. They successfully developed DNA profiles from items retrieved from the scene - including pieces of the victim’s underwear - and reignited the case’s momentum. The arrival of familial DNA testing enabled police to target potential suspects related to the original suspects, leading them back to Castro.
“It’s remarkable how technology can bring closure where we thought there was only darkness,” stated one forensic expert involved with the cold case, encapsulating the feelings shared by investigators and the community alike.
Following months of investigation, police secured DNA samples from relatives of Castro. An initial benign match led authorities to order more testing, which eventually confirmed the unthinkable: Castro matched the DNA left at the scene of the murder.
On the week of Castro’s arrest, he faced charges of second-degree murder, apprehended at the nursing home where he resided just south of Salt Lake City. His attorney remained unavailable for comment as anonymity cloaked the proceedings. Castro's bond was set at $250,000, putting him firmly under the legal spotlight once again.
Chun Oakland, now serving as a member of Hawaii's Senate, expressed the importance of pursuing justice and the significance of bringing attention to cold cases like Momohara’s. “I think the community knows the importance of preserving evidence,” she emphasized, underscoring the need for accountability even after the passage of years.
The case of Dawn Momohara reflects broader themes of sorrow, resilience, and the enduring quest for justice. For the Honolulu community still grappling with the memories of a violent past, the arrest of Gideon Castro offers glimmers of hope, reminding them of the strength found within collective memory and the human spirit’s refusal to forget.