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Celebration of life slated next month for Sionetelua Koloi

A Lanai family is planning a celebration of life next month for a man who was allegedly beaten to death by his girlfriend’s cousin.

The event honoring Sionetelua Koloi is tentatively scheduled for 11 a.m. on June 16 at the Lanai Community Center, or the old bowling alley, girlfriend Kendra-Leah Sabin said Friday. Family members will hold a private viewing later this week on Maui.

“We’ve gotten a lot of support from my side of the family and Sione’s side,” Sabin said. “So much of our friends from Lanai and Lahaina have reached out and that’s what helps us get through.”

The incident occurred at 10:37 p.m. May 11 when police responded to a report of a man injured during a fight at the intersection of Fraser Avenue and Kaumalapau Highway in Lanai City, police said. Police found Koloi lying on the ground on his right side with injuries to his head and face, with Sabin by his side.

Witnesses told police that Sabin’s cousin Travis Morita was at the rear of his residence when he got into an argument with Koloi. The argument ended when Koloi left the area, police said. But Koloi later returned to Morita’s residence where another argument escalated into a fight.

According to witnesses, Morita knocked Koloi to the ground, got on top of him and punched him in the face multiple times, police said. Bystanders stopped Morita by pulling him off of Koloi.

Koloi died from his injuries a little before midnight at Lanai Community Hospital. He left behind two daughters, 8 and 19 years old. He was 46.

Police arrested Morita, 35, of Lanai City and have since charged him with second-degree murder. Morita has not yet appeared in court and is out on bail.

Sabin, who described the incident in a story published May 20 in The Maui News, said Friday that she has not talked with Morita or his immediate family recently. She added that she had not been contacted by prosecutors.

“I haven’t really left the house,” she said. “Everyone’s crying. Everyone is so sad. I’m trying to avoid going to store. People still want to hear my story, even though they already read it in the paper.”

A memorial service was held Wednesday for Koloi, who was part of the crew working on renovations at the Lodge at Koele resort before he died, Sabin said. She said about 100 of his co-workers, friends and family attended.

“It was so amazing. They’re such an amazing company to do that for him,” Sabin said.

Dress code for next month’s celebration of life is casual, but attendees are asked to wear clothing designed by Koloi under his business, Pacific Tapa, Sabin said. She said Koloi designed prints for T-shirts — many of which were given to Lahainaluna’s basketball, football and volleyball teams as well as Lanai’s basketball team.

“Putting this together is a big thing because he’s loved by so many people and by his co-workers,” Sabin said.

* Chris Sugidono can be reached at csugidono@mauinews.com.

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