She has been reporting professionally for more than 20 years beginning in October 1999 with the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. She was retained by its new owner in 2001 and again when the newspaper merged into the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in 2010.
Earlier in her career, a Feb. 10, 2001 article titled, "I want to tell my parents I am alive," got national and international attention with the first interview of anyone who had been aboard the Ehime Maru. The New York Times used quotes she obtained from a 16-year-old student who survived the sinking of the Japanese fishing vessel by a U.S. Navy submarine, and gave a nod to the Star-Bulletin. The Toronto Star ran the story. Fujimori also shared a 2004 Society of Professional Journalists award with two colleagues for a breaking news story, "1 dead/Cop Shot."
Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, volunteering to protect native forests, beekeeping, farming, traveling, singing and spending time with her "dogter."
An 81-year-old Hilo woman held up her arms to defend herself against her 30-year-old neighbor before he fatally stabbed her in the mouth Saturday morning, a witness told police, according to documents filed Monday in Hilo District Court. Read more
A federal grand jury Thursday indicted a 51-year-old Mexican national on charges of being an illegal alien present in the United States after being convicted of a felony and removed from this country. Read more
The grand jury’s indictment and decision for no bail overrides a district court judge’s confirmation to maintain his bail amount to $5 million and the need for a preliminary hearing. Read more
Gerhardt Konig is being held without bail at the Oahu Community Correctional Center after being indicted on the charge of second-degree attempted murder. Read more
Court documents filed Thursday reveal Arielle Konig, the wife of a 46-year-old Maui anesthesiologist, told police he struck her about 10 times in the head and tried to inject her with a syringe filled with an unknown liquid while on a hike Monday. Read more
The Medical Examiner’s Office found she died of blunt force injuries caused by assault, starvation, prolonged immobilization and physical restraint, medical neglect and pneumonia. Read more
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Mayor Richard Bissen had asked the commission to place Maui Police Chief John Pelletier on administrative leave while commissioners conduct an independent review of the allegations in the lawsuit, potentially involving criminal conduct. Read more
The man, 84, accused of killing his estranged wife, will remain confined at the State Hospital. Read more
The Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office said Monday it is continuing to investigate the case against Gideon Castro, but declined to provide any information that it said might jeopardize the case or its continuing investigation. Read more
Silas Zion made his initial appearance in Hilo Circuit Court this afternoon on the accomplice to attempted murder charge along with charges of hindering prosecution and firearms offenses. Read more
Kona Circuit Chief Judge Wendy DeWeese also ordered Duncan Mahi to serve a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison. Read more
Duncan Mahi negotiated a plea deal and pleaded no contest Dec. 31 to first- and second-degree kidnapping and first-degree sexual assault. Read more
The 39-year-old Laie woman was arraigned Thursday on charges of manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a minor and persistent nonsupport with regard to Azaeliyah Pili-Ah You, whom she adopted two months prior to the child’s death on Dec. 22, 2023. Read more
The 39-year-old Kahuku woman was arrested, charged and indicted on March 7 for allegedly torturing and neglecting the child, Azaeliyah Pili-Ah You, who died on Dec. 22, 2023. Read more
The two women accused of murder in the June 13 dehydration and starvation death of 3-year-old Sarai Perez-Rivera pleaded not guilty Monday to charges in a nine-count indictment. Read more
The state’s Child Welfare Services had received reports of maltreatment within the family of a 3-year-old girl who died in 2024 of starvation, according to a federally mandated report on child deaths released Friday. Read more
Perez-Rivera’s mother and her mother’s girlfriend were indicted this week on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the girl’s starvation death, along with other charges. Read more
Jurors unanimously found Friday that the state had not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that, for the protection of the public, his sentence should be extended from life with the possibility of parole to life without the possibility of parole. Read more
The two women charged in the death and starvation of a 3-year-old girl made their initial appearance in Honolulu District Court this morning. Read more
The 37-year-old was convicted of multiple felonies — second-degree murder and carrying or use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, which made him subject to an extended sentence. Read more
