SUPERIOR Court Associate Judge Wesley Bogdan found probable cause to charge 69-year-old Arnold Ilo Kapileo of strangulation, assault and battery, and disturbing the peace on Wednesday following the testimony of Department of Public Safety Detective Christine Kim.
Kim, the lead investigator for the case, testified that the victim had visible bruises on her body. “She was very shaken up…she looked hopeless at that time,” Kim said.
The victim had a large bruise on her neck, on the back side of her shoulder and bruise marks on her lower torso area, which Kim photographed for evidence.
According to the victim, Kapileo punched and choked her after she did not let him put a “love mark/hickey” on her neck.
Kapileo at the hearing was represented by Assistant Public Defender Emily Thompson while Assistant Attorney General Steven Kessel appeared for the government.
The victim told police that Kapileo on the evening of Sept. 14 came home very drunk.
She said he “started putting a hickey on her neck very hard.” When she pushed him away, he got upset and started packing his belongings.
Kapileo then asked for his betel nut bag and his money.
She told him that he brought it with him when he left earlier, brought it back home with him, and that she did not touch it.
She said Kapileo got upset and started to punch her neck, her back, and waist. He also tried to choke her, she added.
She said she tried to run to her neighbor’s unit, but Kapileo chased her, pressed his elbow on her neck, pushed her down on the floor and used his other hand to pull her hair.
The victim said she felt Kapileo’s elbow on her neck pressing hard. She said she felt dizzy, got a headache, and had a hard time breathing afterwards.
A neighbor corroborated what the victim told police.
The neighbor told police that she heard the victim screaming, “Somebody help me!” while Kapileo was shouting, “Where’s my money? Where is my f****** wallet?”
She said she also saw Kapileo grabbing the victim’s hair, punching her three times, choking her, pulling her hair and punching her again.
Judge Bogdan, in a separate bail modification order, granted Kapileo’s request to be released to his daughter as third-party custodian upon posting 10% of the $7,500 cash bail.
Kapileo will return to court for his arraignment on Sept. 27 at 9 a.m.
