Gerald Aikau and his son Reef. Photo: Star Advertiser/Aikau Family
Two members of the Aikau family are dead in what officials are investigating as a possible murder-suicide. The family confirmed to KHON2 that the deceased are Gerald Aikau and his son, Reef. “My brother, Gerald, took his life and his son, Reef,” said his sister, Piilani Aikau.
According to reports, Gerald Aikau, the 42-year-old nephew of Eddie Aikau, was found hanging from a tree by Clyde Aikau. After trying to resuscitate him, Clyde went into the house and found Gerald’s 7-year-old son Reef. The Star Advertiser is reporting that the boy had been injured by a “sharp object.”
“At around 5:45 we had a report of a hanging,” said Capt. Walter Ozeki, of the Honolulu Police Department. “Upon arriving, police found a lifeless body hanging from a tree on the property.”
Gerald and his son had been staying in a cottage on the Aikau property next to his aunt Myra Aikau’s home. He and his wife Katherine were in the middle of a divorce, and she had filed a temporary restraining order against him.
“Gerald was a really good boy,” Myra told the Star Advertiser. “He had so much problems and he tried to settle it by himself and I don’t know what happened… He did this, but he was loved by all of us.”
Police are still investigating, and the medical examiner will perform autopsies on both Gerald and Reef.
Solomon Aikau, Gerald’s father, said he wanted to thank everyone who had been calling to offer condolences and pay their respects.“We are really humbled by the response of the passing of our son and grandson,” he said. “Gerald had some issues he was trying to take care of, whether it was legally or mentally. He was working really hard, trying to solve his problems, get himself together… We as a family kind of just want to leave it at that, that he tried his best.”
Our sincerest condolences go out to all of those affected by this tragedy.
