Man arrested nearly 50 years after schoolgirl's murder in Honolulu

In 1977, Hawaii was shocked by the chilling murder of 16-year-old Dawn Momohara, a sophomore at McKinley High School in Honolulu. Her partially clothed body was discovered on the second floor of the school's English building on March 21. She was found with an orange cloth wrapped around her neck, indicating that she had been strangled. Investigators concluded that Dawn had also been sexually assaulted. In the time leading up to her death, she received an ominous phone call from an unidentified man. The last communication between her and her mother was about a planned trip to a shopping center with friends, which ultimately proved to be her final goodbye. Over the decades, numerous investigators interviewed potential witnesses and acquaintances, including Gideon Castro, a former classmate. Despite these efforts, the case went cold, and those involved found it difficult to unearth sufficient evidence or leads to successfully solve the case. For years, composites of a person of interest were provided for public tips, but to no avail. In 2019, however, law enforcement decided to revisit the case, analyzing items found at the scene, including articles of clothing. This marked a pivotal shift in the investigation. The analysis revealed a male DNA profile linked to sperm found on Momohara's shorts, an important breakthrough that prompted further investigation. In the early part of 2023, detectives managed to make a connection, matching this DNA profile to Gideon Castro, who was then residing in a nursing home in Utah. As a result of modern forensic advancements that had evolved dramatically since the original investigation in 1977, Castro was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with Dawn Momohara's tragic death. Lieutenant Deena Thoemmes commended the collaborative effort between the Honolulu Police Department and other agencies, such as the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, affirming the commitment to justice for Dawn and her family. Castro is currently awaiting extradition to Honolulu to face the charges. This arrest signifies a relentless pursuit of justice and reflects the vital role of advanced technology in solving historical cases. With nearly 50 years elapsed since the murder, the case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing impact of unresolved crimes on families and communities. Dawn's story resonates powerfully in the collective memory of those connected to her, demonstrating not only the pain of loss but the importance of justice and closure in times of tragedy.