U.S. Marine accused of killing pregnant estranged wife on Hawaii freeway

HONOLULU (TCD) -- A U.S. Marine is accused of fatally stabbing his estranged wife last week on the side of a highway and then injuring himself.

Honolulu Police Lieutenant Deena Thoemmes said in a July 21 press conference that on July 20 at 6:18 p.m., witnesses driving down H-3 West allegedly saw a male "standing over a female stabbing her multiple times."

Some of the witnesses pulled over to the side of the road and tried to stop the man, who reportedly had a knife in his hand. He then reportedly fled to a "nearby brush area." At the same time, other witnesses reportedly rushed to the woman’s side to render aid.

Honolulu Police officers arrived at the scene and found the male, who allegedly used the same knife to injure himself. He was taken into custody and transported to a nearby hospital.

Thoemmes said the victim was taken to Castle Adventist Hospital and pronounced dead at 8:31 p.m.

Hawaii News Now identified the victim as 27-year-old Dana Alotaibi and the suspect as Bryant Tejeda-Castillo.

According to Thoemmes, Tejeda-Castillo and Alotaibi were married but had recently been experiencing marital problems. The two were reportedly arguing moments before she was fatally stabbed.

Hawaii News Now reports Tejeda-Castillo is a Marine stationed at a base in Kaneohe. He has reportedly been charged with murder and is being held on $1 million bail.

Alotaibi reportedly posted on social media several times about Tejeda-Castillo’s alleged abuse and saying he choked her and threatened to kill her.

According to Hawaii News Now, Alotaibi had a boyfriend and was 13 weeks pregnant with his child and she wanted to move back to the mainland United States to be closer to her family.

Alotaibi’s sister told KHON-TV Alotaibi and Tejeda-Castillo didn’t live together anymore, but the night she died, she went over to help him because he "didn’t have a place to live."

The Marines told Hawaii News Now in a statement, "We can confirm that the Marine suspect’s command was engaged with both him and the victim, and were responsive to those allegations and concerns that the command was made aware of. Due to the ongoing nature of the criminal investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further on this topic."

MORE:

• HPD News Conference - H-3 Freeway Murder - July 21, 2022 - Honolulu Police Department
• Mother: Military spouse fatally stabbed on H-3 Freeway sought help for repeated abuse - Hawaii News Now
• Friends: Victim in deadly H-3 stabbing was pregnant, tried to leave relationship - Hawaii News Now
• Family devastated after woman fatally stabbed in Kaneohe - KHON