After nearly 50 years, the murder of Dawn Momohara at McKinley High School in Honolulu has finally been solved thanks to advances in DNA technology. Gideon Castro, a former McKinley student, was arrested and charged with the crime.
The chilling unsolved murder of 16-year-old Dawn Momohara at McKinley High School in Honolulu in 1977 has finally seen justice served after nearly five decades. On March 21, 1977, Momohara was discovered dead on the second floor of the school building, having been sexually assaulted and strangled. A haunting mystery for the McKinley community, the case remained cold for years, leaving behind unanswered questions and a lingering sense of unease.
The breakthrough came in 2019 when cold case detectives revisited the evidence, including Momohara's underwear. Forensic analysis led to the development of a DNA profile in 2020, which proved to be a crucial turning point in the investigation. In 2023, police received information about potential suspects, two brothers who had been interviewed in 1977.This information led them to Gideon Castro, a former McKinley student, who was arrested last week and charged with Momohara's murder. Castro, now 66, is currently being held in a Utah nursing home pending trial. His initial court appearance is scheduled for Friday before a judge in Salt Lake County District Court. The case has brought a bittersweet sense of closure to the McKinley community, offering justice for Momohara after decades of uncertainty and pain
DNA Technology Cold Case Murder Honolulu Mckinley High School Gideon Castro Dawn Momohara
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