Manoa tragedy sparks concern over a rise in domestic-violence killings

The killing of a wife and three kids by a husband, who then took his own life, in Manoa Sunday morning was likely the third domestic-violence killing in Hawaii in three months and the fourth high-profile domestic violence case.

Monique Ibarra, CEO of the Domestic Violence Action Center, said Sunday’s tragic incident, along with the three other cases, underscores the need for more awareness about domestic violence and more resources to mitigate the social, political and economic impacts of domestic violence on individuals, families and communities.

“I have not heard or encountered one that is to the magnitude that this crime is, but we have had other incidents of domestic murder and suicide in Hawaii,” Ibarra said. “This is the third that we’ve had in three months so it’s pretty significant.”

Paris Oda, 46, is presumed to have committed suicide after killing his wife, 48-year-old Naoko Oda, along with their children, 17-year-old daughter Sakurako “Sakura,” 12-year-old son Orion and 10-year-old daughter Nana.

Honolulu police labeled it Hawaii’s worst mass homicide since the Xerox shooting in 1999, when seven people were gunned down at a Nimitz Highway business. But police did not immediately attribute the killings to domestic violence.

Lt. Deena Thoemmes, head of HPD’s homicide detail, said during a news conference Sunday that there was not a history of domestic violence reported, and a motive has not been determined. Still, police said they were called to the Odas’ home on Waaloa Place in Manoa after an argument was reported.

Thoemmes said, “Based on the evidence found at the scene and the investigation thus far, it appears that the adult male killed the female and the juveniles with a knife that was recovered from the scene.”

Angelina Mercado, executive director of the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said the Oda case will undergo a statewide domestic violence fatality review. She said the review includes factors such as the medical examiner’s report, feedback from the children’s schools, judiciary records and if there is a history of violence in the immediate family or their extended family. She said the goal is to understand what happened and to provide community recommendations.

“From our perspective (it’s domestic violence) when you have intimate-partner violence. Just the fact that he killed his wife, and the worst-case scenario is obviously when all the family members die, which includes the children here,” Mercado said.

Mercado said the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence annually measures how many domestic violence survivors were served by its members in a single day. She said in 2022, 847 survivors were served in a single day. She said the statistics demonstrate consistency of need over the last several years.

She said state Department of Health data shows that 13% of Hawaii adults report experiencing intimate-partner violence in their lifetime.

Amanda Pump, president and CEO of Child &Family Service, said family violence is prevalent in about 60% of CFS’ cases.

The nonprofit works to strengthen families and foster the healthy development of children through an array of statewide programs, which Pump said have seen demand increase year over year from 40% to 60% across the islands. She attributes the rise in demand to lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rising cost of living, and natural disasters.

Pump said the Manoa incident serves as a reminder of the critical importance of addressing family violence and supporting those in vulnerable situations. She said she is intentionally calling the incident family violence rather than domestic violence, which is rooted in power and control.