66-year-old Gideon Castro, a suspect in the 1977 killing of Honolulu teenager Dawn Momohara, was released from a Utah jail after prosecutors said they were not ready to proceed with the murder charge. Castro, who is ill, had been arrested in January and appeared in court via video from a hospital bed. Honolulu prosecutors cited complications with a material witness and evidence for not moving forward but stated they remain committed to prosecuting the case in the future.
Momohara was found sexually assaulted and strangled at McKinley High School in 1977. Castro, a former student at the school, was linked to the crime through DNA technology after being interviewed by police decades ago. Despite his release, authorities in Hawaii are continuing the investigation into Momohara’s killing.
A former teacher at McKinley High School expressed disappointment over Castro’s release, but understood the prosecutors’ need for a strong case. Police had initially released sketches of a person of interest and a vehicle in connection with the case, but were unable to identify a suspect until recent DNA advancements.
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