An 18-year-old Puna man accused of fatally shooting his father with a pellet rifle in May was found fit to stand trial.
On Tuesday, according to court records, Hilo District Judge Barbara Takase found Forrest Kessler, aka Forrest Keesler, fit to proceed based on the examination reports of three mental health professionals, Drs. Andrew Bisset and Henry Yang and psychologist Dr. Tom Cunningham.
A Hilo grand jury indicted Kessler for second-degree murder Oct. 7 and a bench warrant maintained his bail at $250,000. Police say Kessler shot and killed his father, 47-year-old Jeffrey Kelly, in the family’s Pikake Street home in Fern Acres.
Kessler had not been served with the indictment as of Tuesday and remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center. After he is re-arrested on the warrant, Kessler’s case will move to Hilo Circuit Court.
According to court documents, Traci Jones, Jeffrey Kelly’s fiancée, told police she was in the bathroom when she heard a gunshot. When she emerged from the bathroom, she reportedly found Kelly on the floor with a chest wound, holding a cellphone and a blue rag, and Kessler holding a pellet rifle.
Kessler told an officer he shot his father with the pellet gun after the two engaged in an argument, documents state. Kelly was found unresponsive on the floor of the home with a wound to his left rib cage at about 9 a.m.
Kelly had a pending case for domestic abuse with Kessler as the alleged victim and was free on supervised release when the shooting occurred.
According to court documents, Kelly was arrested Sept. 23, 2014, and charged with domestic abuse for allegedly striking his son, who was then 17. Documents state Kelly and Kessler were engaged in an argument that escalated into physical violence, and Kessler reportedly told officers he was punched about five times to his left temple, causing pain and swelling.
Documents state “a highly intoxicated, uncooperative” Kelly refused to be advised of his rights, to sign any forms or to be photographed or fingerprinted.
Kessler temporarily was removed from Kelly’s custody by Child Welfare Services but moved back in with his father after turning 18.
Kessler’s stepmother, Angela Bracamonte, told a Honolulu TV news outlet Kessler is severely autistic and in need of treatment.
Kyle Kelly, Kessler’s older brother, told the Tribune-Herald in June that Jeffrey Kelly “was an abusive drunk and used to beat my siblings and I when we were younger.” He described his father as “a monster.” He said Kessler “has problems” but “shouldn’t be punished for defending himself.”
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
