William News

Nearly 48 years after the murder of 16-year-old Dawn Momohara in Honolulu, Hawaii, police have arrested 66-year-old Gideon Castro, a former schoolmate, in connection with the case. Momohara was found strangled with an orange cloth wrapped around her neck and sexually assaulted on March 21, 1977, on the second floor of McKinley High School. Advances in DNA technology enabled investigators to match evidence from the crime scene to Castro, who was arrested at a nursing home in Utah. The case, which had gone cold for decades, was reopened in 2019 when modern DNA testing was applied to preserved evidence. Investigators initially identified two suspects, Gideon and his brother William Castro, but William was ruled out through DNA analysis. Gideon Castro, who had previously met Momohara at a school dance, has been charged with second-degree murder and is awaiting extradition to Honolulu for trial. Authorities have credited the breakthrough to advancements in forensic technology and the collaborative efforts of federal and local law enforcement. Witnesses at the time also described a suspect vehicle, a maroon and white Pontiac sedan, seen near the crime scene.