John Nihipali Sr., a 55-year-old man serving time for assault at the Oahu Community Correctional Center, was out on a resocialization furlough pass when he allegedly stabbed his 53-year-old girlfriend to death and critically injured his estranged wife in a violent rampage across Honolulu.
Background
Nihipali was participating in Hawaii's work release program, wearing an ankle monitor as part of his supervised release. He had been serving time for assault and was scheduled to return to the Oahu Community Correctional Center on Thursday night.
The violence began in the McCully neighborhood of Honolulu, where detectives responded to a medical call and discovered the woman's body. The 53-year-old victim had been stabbed multiple times, including defensive wounds indicating she had fought for her life. Her 15-year-old son, who also lived in the apartment, discovered her and called 911.
Investigators learned that Nihipali had been seen entering the apartment with his girlfriend Thursday morning. Several hours later, he was seen leaving alone. He took her vehicle, which was later found near the home of his estranged wife in Kapolei—more than 20 miles away.
The Investigation
After the killing, Nihipali drove to Kapolei and entered the home where his estranged 53-year-old wife lived. He stabbed her in the neck, authorities said. A 30-year-old man who also resided at the home intervened, allowing the woman to flee to a neighbor's house for help. The neighbor called 911.
Police responded to the Kapolei home and found Nihipali outside with a knife. According to investigators, he came at the officers, refused to comply with orders to drop the weapon, and was tased. He fell to the ground and was arrested.
The victim was transported to The Queen's Medical Center-Punchbowl in critical condition. Nihipali was initially arrested on charges of attempted murder.
Detectives later connected Nihipali to the McCully killing through evidence gathered at both scenes, his ankle monitor data, and identification by the victim's family.
Key Takeaways
- John Nihipali Sr., 55, was out on a resocialization pass from Oahu Community Correctional Center when the violence occurred
- His 53-year-old girlfriend was found dead in McCully with multiple stab wounds, including defensive wounds
- Nihipali allegedly stole his girlfriend's vehicle and drove 20 miles to Kapolei to attack his estranged wife
- The estranged wife survived but remains in critical condition at The Queen's Medical Center-Punchbowl
- A 30-year-old man who lived at the wife's home intervened, potentially saving her life
- The victim's 15-year-old son discovered her body and called 911
- Nihipali has been charged with murder, attempted murder, burglary, and escape
- He was being held without bond as of late last week
What's Next
Nihipali remains in custody without bond. He faces charges of murder, attempted murder, burglary, and escape in connection with the attacks. The investigation is ongoing as authorities continue to piece together the sequence of events across both crime scenes.
The 53-year-old wife continues to recover at The Queen's Medical Center-Punchbowl. Detectives are expected to continue gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses as the case moves through the court system.