Bail set at $1M for Molokai man charged with murder

Police identify woman who was found dead in suspect’s Kaunakakai home

A 59-year-old Molokai man was charged with murder in the killing of his girlfriend, who was found dead in his residence in Kaunakakai on Saturday, police said.

Bail was set at $1 million for Mariano Garces on the charge of second-degree murder.

The victim was identified as 43-year-old Amie Kaholoaa of Kaunakakai.

According to police, officers found her body in the residence on Kalanianaole Avenue after Molokai dispatchers received a 911 call at 5:46 p.m. Saturday from a man about a possible murder at his residence. Officers couldn't find Garces in the area before he was arrested at about 6 a.m. Sunday when he returned to his residence, police said.

Police did not respond to a question about how Kaholoaa was killed.

In a petition for a temporary restraining order she filed against Garces in February, Kaholoaa said that on Jan. 31, Garces choked and stepped on her, punched her in the face and hit her with a stick. "I have bruises on my body from this incident," her petition said. "I'm afraid of him and feel like he will kill me one day."

She reported calling police, who escorted her off Garces' property.

Kaholoaa said in the petition that she and Garces had dated for six months and he had been abusing her for three months. She said Garces had hunting guns and she believed he might use a firearm to threaten, injure or abuse her or someone else because "he's a crazy person."

"Mariano has a long history of drugs and has anger issues ... " the petition said.

Kaholoaa asked that he get help.

Court records show the petition was dismissed and the temporary restraining order was dissolved Feb. 16 when neither Kaholoaa nor Garces showed up for a court hearing.

In a pending case in 2nd Circuit Court, Garces has pleaded not guilty to three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition and possession of a prohibited firearm. He was charged after police reported seizing a Remington 30-06 rifle, Browning 12-gauge shotgun, Remington Arms .270-caliber rifle, 12-gauge shotgun shells and 30-06 ammunition on July 12, 2021. The shotgun had a barrel less than 18 inches long, according to the complaint against Garces.

In a 2007 case, Garces was placed on probation for firearm and drug charges, court records show.

This is the fourth murder reported this year in Maui County.

* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.