#mo monsalve

A sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole was handed down to Bernard Brown, who was found guilty of second degree murder for the death of his ex-girlfriend Moreira “Mo” Monsalve.

After a day of deliberations, a guilty verdict has been reached in the second degree murder trial of Bernard Brown. The verdict was reached at 2:01 p.m. and was unanimous.

Defense attorney Randall Hironaka called the prosecution’s case a “witch-hunt.” Meantime, Deputy Prosecutor Jerry W. Hupp argued that “odd” activity, statements, “mistakes,” and “diversions” by Brown, point towards guilt.

After 35 witnesses and eight days of testimony since Aug. 1, closing statements from the state and defense are expected on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022.

The Maui Police Department detective heading the missing person investigation into the disappearance of Moreira “Mo” Monsalve, said exhaustive searches were conducted at 15 sites over a more than five year period. Many of the searches involved the use of cadaver dogs, and search in particular utilized heavy equipment for the excavation of the Central Maui Landfill.

Law enforcement and FBI personnel testified Tuesday in the trial for Bernard Brown, who is accused of second degree murder in the disappearance and presumed death of his ex-girlfriend, Moreira “Mo” Monsalve. 

Alexis Felicilda, Monsalve’s daughter, described the process she went through in reporting her mom missing. Monsalve’s close friends Heather James and Matthew Wilkins discussed how they traveled from the mainland to conduct exhaustive searches, which they say Brown did not attend. And coworker, Stacie Williams, offered to help Monsalve when she broke up with Brown by giving her a place to stay.

On Tuesday, the jury listened to an interview a Maui police detective conducted with Brown following Monsalve’s disappearance in which Brown denied any involvement. In the interview he was recorded saying, “I swear she was fine… I did not hurt her.” He also said, “I hope you find her,” and suggested that perhaps she was out “partying.”

It’s been nearly six years since Morreira “Mo” Monsalve went missing on Maui. Today would have marked the beginning in a new chapter in the case but the trail date has been pushed to March.

The trial for murder defendant Bernard Brown, the man accused of killing Moreira “Mo” Monsalve, is scheduled to start on Thursday. In October, Brown pleaded not guilty to second degree murder.  

Murder defendant Bernard Brown appeared in second circuit court on Tuesday, where he was assigned a new court appointed attorney.

Monsalve was 46 years old when she was last seen on Jan. 12, 2014, at Brown’s residence in Wailuku.  Brown was her ex-boyfriend at the time.

Beranard Brown, the man accused of second degree murder in the disappearance of Moriera “Mo” Monsalve, is headed back to Maui.

That includes cell phone evidence.  “Everyone’s life is on the cell phone,” said AC Ramos, noting that it played a “huge part” in Monsalve’s case, where a body still has not been recovered.

The Maui Police Department announced this afternoon that the former boyfriend of Moriera “Mo” Monsalve was arrested in California today.

When is Moreira “Mo” Monsalve’s family going to get their questions answered?

“There’s still two women that are missing. There’s very little information, and we really want the families to have some resolution,” said Stacey Moniz, executive director for Women Helping Women on Maui.

On the one month anniversary of her disappearance, the family of missing Moreira “Mo” Monsalve reflected upon the events of the past month, saying there are more questions than answers.

Yesterday, family and friends of Monsalve posted an update on their Facebook page saying Feb. 12 “marks a full month with little to go on…”

Maui police issued a press release this afternoon saying the ex-boyfriend of a missing Maui woman is not a person of interest at this time.