LIHUE — A 34-year-old man was arrested Thursday at First Hawaiian Bank in Lihue and charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of a Kapaa woman.
“We mourn the loss of our team member and will be working to provide support to all of our branch staff during this difficult time,” said Susan Yokoyama, spokeswoman for First Hawaiian Bank. What happened, she said, was a tragic loss of life.
According to preliminary police reports, Louis Landsman walked into the bank about 1:15 p.m. and approached an employee of the bank, a woman believed to be his mother. He stabbed the woman then fled on foot.
Police, firefighters and medics responded. They transported Charlene Landsman, 69, to Wilcox Medical Center in critical condition. She was later pronounced dead. A short time after the stabbing, Louis Landsman was located in the bank parking lot, where police took him into custody. He remains in police cellblock. Bail has not yet been set.
The Lihue branch of FHB will remain closed until the investigation is completed, Yokoyama said.
Kiyoko Burns of Kapahi witnessed the scene from a building behind the bank.
“Where I was at, the place was on lockdown,” Burns said. “Just heard someone got hurt and whoever hurt them run off.”
As she walked back to her car after the incident, Burns said she walked right past the suspect.
“I just happened to come back to my car around the time some shirtless, tall, white guy arrived,” Burns said. “(He was) pacing back and forth and stared at me while he was doing it, smiling,” she said. He walked to where KPD officers were standing and was taken into custody, she said.
Trespassing. No shirt. Loitering. Asking questions. Not proper attire wear.