Mainland News Outlets ID Nakalele Homicide Victim

By Wendy Osher

Flowers were left at Nakalele point near the place where a woman's body was found following a domestic dispute. Photo by Wendy Osher.

(Update: 8:04 p.m. Tuesday, September 6, 2011)

The identity of a woman slain in an incident last week on Maui has not been released, but various mainland media outlets are reporting the victim to be Celestial Cassman, an attorney from Santa Cruz, California.

Network affiliates have released the following reports:

• Santa Cruz Attorney Killed in Maui: KION FOX 35
• Sources: Santa Cruz Woman Slain In Maui ID’d: KSBW Action News 8, Santa Cruz

Maui Police say the woman’s identity is pending positive identification by the woman’s family, who is expected to arrive on Maui sometime this week.

(Posted: 12:41 p.m. Tuesday, September 6, 2011)

The identity and cause of death of a woman found in a remote area of Maui last week are pending release as authorities await the arrival of the victim’s family from California.

The woman’s body was found on Thursday, September 1, 2011, in a rocky area below the Kahekili Highway near Nakalele Point.

Authorities recovered her body while responding to a call of a reported domestic dispute.  They also airlifted a man from the area the following morning, after he had jumped from the cliff-side while fleeing from police.

An autopsy of the woman was completed on Monday, however results are pending positive identification by the woman’s family, who is expected to arrive on Maui sometime this week, said Maui Police  Lt. Wayne Ibarra.

The 38-year-old man from Santa Cruz, California, remains hospitalized.  Lt. Ibarra said the man’s injuries are not life threatening, but keep him confined.  Police say the man is being monitored, and authorities plan to charge him in connection with the ongoing investigation.

Through the investigation, authorities recovered a vehicle and were able to locate the hotel where the two had been staying.  The man and woman checked into a resort in Ka’anapali just the day before the incident occurred, according to Lt. Ibarra.

***Video of the Crime Scene was published in a previous post, along with response details the day the incident occurred.