Honolulu Police Launch Second Degree Murder Investigation After Woman Found Stabbed in McCully Apartment

HPD reclassifies McCully death as second degree murder after 53-year-old woman found with stab wounds. No arrests made as investigation continues on Fern St.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 6, 2026, 10:12 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Hawaii News Now

A Grim Discovery on Fern Street

What began as a standard welfare check in the McCully neighborhood has escalated into a high-priority criminal investigation by the Honolulu Police Department. Officers were dispatched to an apartment complex located on Fern Street on Thursday afternoon following reports of an unresponsive individual. Upon arrival at approximately 5:30 p.m., police and Emergency Medical Services personnel located a 53-year-old female resident who showed no signs of life. Despite the initial response to an "unattended death," the scene quickly shifted in nature as first responders noted suspicious circumstances surrounding the woman's physical condition.

Forensic Evidence Points to Violent Struggle

The reclassification of the case to murder in the second degree followed a preliminary forensic examination of the victim at the scene. Investigators revealed that the woman had sustained multiple stab wounds across her body, suggesting a targeted and violent assault. Crucially, detectives identified "defensive injuries," which typically indicate that the victim was conscious and attempted to shield herself or fight back during the attack. These findings led the HPD Homicide Detail to take over the processing of the apartment, looking for DNA evidence or a weapon that might have been left behind by the perpetrator.

Neighborhood Shock and Police Response

The Fern Street apartment, situated in the densely populated McCully area, became a hub of police activity through the night as neighbors looked on in disbelief. EMS officially pronounced the woman deceased at the scene, and her identity has not yet been publicly released pending notification of next of kin. Police have been seen conducting door-to-door interviews in the building and canvassing for any available surveillance footage from nearby businesses or residential security cameras. The sudden nature of the violence has left residents on high alert, as the killer remains at large.