Tilipau, who is deaf, was assisted in court by sign-language interpreter Tara Trujillo. He remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center, unable to post $500,000 bail.
A 19-year-old Hawaiian Paradise Park man who allegedly broke into a neighbor’s home and stabbed her with her own garden shears has been declared fit to stand trial.
On Friday, Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura ordered Seferin Tilipau, aka Seferin Tilipou, to stand trial July 16 at 9 a.m.
All three health professionals who submitted reports, psychologist Alex Lichton and psychiatrists Dr. Henry Yang and Samuel Paltin, found Tilipau fit to proceed.
Tilipau pleaded not guilty in December to charges of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree burglary and first-degree assault. He allegedly forced his way into the home of 69-year-old neighbor Mary Davy on Oct. 22, punched her in the face and stabbed her numerous times with a pair of the woman’s gardening shears.
Because Davy is over 60, Tilipau could be sentenced to life in prison without parole if convicted of attempted murder.
Tilipau, who is deaf, was assisted in court by sign-language interpreter Tara Trujillo. He remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center, unable to post $500,000 bail.