On January 14, 1986, 17-year-old Japanese-American high school student Regina Sakamoto went missing in Waipahu, Hawaii. A student at Leilehua High School, Regina had aspirations of attending Hawaii Pacific University in the fall. That morning, after missing her regular school bus, she called her boyfriend at 7:15 a.m. to inform him she would be late. She was last seen waiting at a bus stop in Waipahu. When she failed to return home that evening, her family reported her missing.
The following day, January 15, 1986, Regina's body was discovered at Keehi Lagoon, less than a mile from where the body of 25-year-old Vicki Gail Purdy had been found months earlier. Regina was partially clothed, wearing a blue tank top and white sweatshirt, with her lower body unclothed. Her hands were bound behind her back, and she had been sexually assaulted and strangled. The similarities between Regina's murder and that of Vicki Purdy led investigators to suspect a serial killer was responsible.
Regina's murder was the second in a series attributed to the unidentified serial killer known as the 'Honolulu Strangler,' who is believed to have killed five women in Hawaii between 1985 and 1986. All victims were found with their hands bound behind their backs, had been sexually assaulted and strangled, and were discovered near water sources. The consistent modus operandi suggested a single perpetrator targeting women in vulnerable situations.
In response to the murders, the Honolulu Police Department established a 27-person task force on February 5, 1986, to investigate the killings. The FBI's Behavioral Science Unit profiled the killer as an opportunistic but organized individual, likely a Caucasian or mixed-ancestry male between 30 and 40 years old, who lived or worked in the area between Sand Island and Waipahu. He was believed to drive a cargo van and have no prior criminal record.
A suspect, 43-year-old Howard Arthur Gay, came to the attention of investigators after he led police to the body of the fifth victim, claiming a psychic had told him the location. Gay matched the FBI's profile and had access to materials similar to those used to bind the victims. His ex-wife and girlfriend reported that he engaged in bondage activities and that he would often leave the house after arguments on the nights the murders occurred. Despite this, there was insufficient evidence to charge him, and he was released. Gay died in 2003 without ever being charged in connection with the murders.
As of today, the case remains unsolved, and the identity of the Honolulu Strangler is still unknown. Regina Sakamoto's murder, along with those of the other victims, continues to be a haunting reminder of the dangers that can lurk even in seemingly idyllic settings.
