Kahului stabbing victim dies

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WAILUKU - A 23-year-old woman was charged with second-degree murder Tuesday afternoon in the fatal stabbing of her boyfriend Monday at their Kahului residence.

Bail was set at $500,000 for Rachael Berta, who is being held at the Wailuku Police Station.

Police were called at about 2 p.m. Monday to the home at 107 W. Kauai St., finding a 33-year-old man had been stabbed. He was in critical condition when he was taken by ambulance to Maui Memorial Medical Center, where he died at 9:55 p.m., police said.

A knife was recovered and is being examined to determine if it was used in the assault, police said.

The victim's name wasn't released Tuesday, while police tried to contact his family members on the Mainland. An autopsy is scheduled for today.

Berta, who was seen driving away from the home toward Puunene Avenue before police and medics arrived, was arrested at nearby Kahului Union Church on West Kamehameha Avenue.

Associate Pastor Ken Tanaka said the woman had arrived alone and appeared to be distraught. But when another associate pastor went to talk to her, she said she was OK. Tanaka said he and another pastor talked with two female friends of the woman who showed up afterward, but they also said they didn't need help.

"The next thing we knew, the police had come down," Tanaka said.

Berta wasn't believed to be a church member, Tanaka said.

"For whatever reason, she stopped off at our church," he said. "Perhaps she was seeking the Lord, or she felt that the church would be the place to come."

On West Kauai Street, neighbors reported hearing a man and woman arguing in the rented home after 1 p.m., when the victim was routinely seen at the residence.

According to court records, Berta was charged with abusing her boyfriend in an Oct. 26 incident. He told police he had arrived home from work at 7 p.m. that day to find the unemployed woman sleeping in the bedroom with two empty vodka bottles next to her.

When she awoke and appeared disoriented, the man told her she had been drinking too much and should stop drinking for her health. Berta became upset, he reported, and the two argued. He said he tried to calm her, but she began scratching him on the chest, stomach and back and pushed him a few times. He said he stepped back while she continued yelling at him, throwing items and breaking glasses.

When he realized she wasn't going to calm down, he said he called police.

The man also told police he and Berta had a history of arguments, most involving her drinking problem.

He said he had tried to get help for her but she refused to participate in a rehabilitation program.

The man said he didn't want to press charges against Berta but wanted her to get help for her alcohol addiction.

A police officer responding to the home that night reported smelling liquor from Berta's body and described her as "highly intoxicated."

Asked if she needed medical attention, Berta gave the officer a "blank look."

He described her as looking down and rocking back and forth and reported she couldn't remember her address or date of birth.

Berta refused to give police a statement about what happened.

She was wobbling as she stood to go to the bathroom, the officer noted, and later sat on the bathroom floor with her eyes closed.

When police arrested her at 10:15 p.m., she repeatedly shouted, "I didn't do anything wrong," police reported. Because she went limp, two police officers carried her to a patrol car.

While in the car and handcuffed, she repeatedly kicked the rear passenger window with both feet, the officer reported.

When he told her to stop, she began crying and yelling incoherently, according to his report.

At the Wailuku Police Station, Berta threw down a pen and refused to sign a citation warning her to stay away from the residence during a 48-hour cooling-off period, according to police.

She was released from custody after posting a $1,000 bond the next day. Court records show that on Dec. 18 she pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of harassment in the case and was ordered to pay a $30 fee.

Berta also has convictions for drunken driving and lack of due care in connection with an Oct. 9 arrest. She paid $649 in fines and was ordered to attend an intensive outpatient treatment program and three Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week.

Court records indicate Berta had her driver's license suspended because of the DUI arrest.

Monday's murder was the second in three weeks on Maui, following a fatal shooting the night of Dec. 16 at a residence on South Kamehameha Avenue in Kahului.

Joe D. Antonio, 45, is charged with second-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of a felony in connection with the killing of his 19-year-old son, Jose Antonio Jr. Police said the father fired seven shots at his son, who was found lifeless on the ground outside a rear cottage after the two had argued.

Antonio remained in custody Tuesday at Maui Community Correctional Center. His bail has been set at $350,000.

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