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Double Murder-Suicide in Lanai
By Ron Mizutani
Hawaii's latest murder-suicide case has rocked the tiny town of Lanai City.
A young couple is dead and five children are without a mother and father.
Lanai police say a suicide note -- believed to be written by the husband -- was found in the home.
Residents in a quiet Lanai City neighborhood say it was just after 12-30 Sunday and many families had just returned home from church.
"I was inside my house and I hear -- pow,pow,pow,pow pow -- and then I tell my sister -- that's gun this one - that's gun shot ah," said Albert Reinicke.
Gunshots coming from the home of Gerry and Kim Batoon on Iliahi Street.
"I told my wife somebody is shooting a gun," Donald Dickensheet
When neighbors ran outside they saw Kim's mother.
"The mother went tell her, call 911 Gerry went shoot Kim."
"Help me, help me help me -- call 911.">
Friends say 31-year-old Kim was moving things out of the home when she was shot in the garage.
"She was loading things into a pick-up truck like personal belongings to move out, she was getting to move out," said Dickensheet.
Police found the body of 41-year-old Gerry Batoon near the home's front entrance. A .22 caliber long rifle was found at the scene.
"That's my neighbor -- it's right next to me only about 50 feet.">
The former Kim Kaniho and Gerry Batoon were married several years ago. Together they have five children, two each from previous relationships and one child together -- an infant born just last month.
"Lucky nobody -- the kids wasn't home," Reinicke said.
"I know that he cared about his children," said Dickensheet.
Friends say Gerry worked the graveyard shift as a maintenance worker at the Manele Bay Resort Hotel.
"He was all about work -- and like I said -- his kids -- I never heard him holler at his kids or anything."
"Just a shock to me I was just surprised."
The Kaniho family declined an interview but said the children are safe and the baby is being cared for by the family.
"The truck is still loaded, the things are still laying around the driveway and stuff."
Investigators say there was no documented reports of violence with the Batoons. However, police say Gerry Batoon had one criminal conviction in 1989 for a firearms violation.
It's sad that there are more domestic violence situations happening here in Hawaii that result in death. Due to the local culture, many women are "afraid" of guns and the general consensus is that guns are for "the boys". I've always been an advocate for men AND women to learn how to use firearms in the event that they need to defend themselves and their families. With the growing number of single parents and the distrubed former spouse/partners, it's becoming critical that we're able to protect ourselves against such attacks.
My prayers go out to the orphaned children and the victim's family. Incidents like this reinforce my motivation and drive to encourage more women to learn about firearms and how to use them. It's especially sad for me because I hunt on this island on a regular basis. My friends and I call this place "Mayberry" because of the resemblance to the town on the "Andy Griffith Show".
gf
Double Murder-Suicide in Lanai
By Ron Mizutani
Hawaii's latest murder-suicide case has rocked the tiny town of Lanai City.
A young couple is dead and five children are without a mother and father.
Lanai police say a suicide note -- believed to be written by the husband -- was found in the home.
Residents in a quiet Lanai City neighborhood say it was just after 12-30 Sunday and many families had just returned home from church.
"I was inside my house and I hear -- pow,pow,pow,pow pow -- and then I tell my sister -- that's gun this one - that's gun shot ah," said Albert Reinicke.
Gunshots coming from the home of Gerry and Kim Batoon on Iliahi Street.
"I told my wife somebody is shooting a gun," Donald Dickensheet
When neighbors ran outside they saw Kim's mother.
"The mother went tell her, call 911 Gerry went shoot Kim."
"Help me, help me help me -- call 911.">
Friends say 31-year-old Kim was moving things out of the home when she was shot in the garage.
"She was loading things into a pick-up truck like personal belongings to move out, she was getting to move out," said Dickensheet.
Police found the body of 41-year-old Gerry Batoon near the home's front entrance. A .22 caliber long rifle was found at the scene.
"That's my neighbor -- it's right next to me only about 50 feet.">
The former Kim Kaniho and Gerry Batoon were married several years ago. Together they have five children, two each from previous relationships and one child together -- an infant born just last month.
"Lucky nobody -- the kids wasn't home," Reinicke said.
"I know that he cared about his children," said Dickensheet.
Friends say Gerry worked the graveyard shift as a maintenance worker at the Manele Bay Resort Hotel.
"He was all about work -- and like I said -- his kids -- I never heard him holler at his kids or anything."
"Just a shock to me I was just surprised."
The Kaniho family declined an interview but said the children are safe and the baby is being cared for by the family.
"The truck is still loaded, the things are still laying around the driveway and stuff."
Investigators say there was no documented reports of violence with the Batoons. However, police say Gerry Batoon had one criminal conviction in 1989 for a firearms violation.
It's sad that there are more domestic violence situations happening here in Hawaii that result in death. Due to the local culture, many women are "afraid" of guns and the general consensus is that guns are for "the boys". I've always been an advocate for men AND women to learn how to use firearms in the event that they need to defend themselves and their families. With the growing number of single parents and the distrubed former spouse/partners, it's becoming critical that we're able to protect ourselves against such attacks.
My prayers go out to the orphaned children and the victim's family. Incidents like this reinforce my motivation and drive to encourage more women to learn about firearms and how to use them. It's especially sad for me because I hunt on this island on a regular basis. My friends and I call this place "Mayberry" because of the resemblance to the town on the "Andy Griffith Show".
gf
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