The End Of Reason

Hawaii's Hidden Nightmare: The Reign of the Honolulu Strangler

• C.R Night • Season 1 • Episode 8

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What dark secrets lurked beneath Hawaii’s sunlit paradise in the 1980s? On this gripping episode of the End of Reason podcast, we revisit the terror that the Honolulu Strangler inflicted on Honolulu's streets, revealing an era fraught with contrasts and hidden dangers. We start with the heart-wrenching case of Vicky Purdy, a young woman whose dreams of a Hawaiian life ended in tragedy, setting off a chilling chain of events that would grip the community with fear. We explore the social and economic backdrop of the time, painting a vivid picture of a paradise shadowed by economic struggles and rising crime.

As we continue, the unsettling discovery of a second victim, Regina Sakamoto, makes it clear that a serial killer is on the loose, leaving the local community in a state of panic. We investigate the patterns that emerged, the dead-end leads, and the profound impact these murders had on the city. Join us as we recount the harrowing details, the stalled investigation, and the relentless pursuit for justice that defined Honolulu’s darkest days. This episode promises a sobering and compelling look at how the allure of paradise masked a nightmarish reality for those who lived through the terror of the Honolulu Strangler.

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Speaker 1:

Before we begin today's episode, we want to provide a subject matter warning. This podcast delves into real-life crimes and their often graphic and disturbing details. Today's episode contains discussions of violence, murder and other sensitive topics that may not be suitable for all listeners. We understand that this content can be triggering or upsetting for some and we urge you to consider your own well-being as you listen. With that said, let's proceed with today's case.

Speaker 1:

In the mid-1980s, hawaiian authorities confronted a sadistic serial killer who stalked the streets of Honolulu, leaving behind a trail of strangled victims. The streets of Honolulu, leaving behind a trail of strangled victims. The terrifying spree began in late May 1985 with the disappearance of a young woman. Her body was eventually discovered, hands bound tightly behind her back, a chilling signature that would become the hallmark of the so-called Honolulu Strangler. Welcome to the End of Reason podcast. Today we are looking at the case of Honolulu Strangler.

Speaker 1:

In the 1980s, hawaii was a place of contrasts. It was a time of growth, with tourism booming and Honolulu transforming into a bustling hub of new hotels, resorts and infrastructure, welcoming visitors from around the globe. The islands thrived on a unique blend of cultures, with a rich tapestry of Asian and Pacific Islander influences shaping its food, music and festivals. But beneath the surface of this tropical paradise, a different story was unfolding. But beneath the surface of this tropical paradise, a different story was unfolding. Hawaii grappled with the rise of the Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement, a fight for recognition and rights for native Hawaiians. The state also faced an economic recession, alongside a dark undercurrent of drug trafficking and organized crime. As Hawaii navigated these social and economic shifts, it remained a paradise in the eyes of millions, even as shadows crept through its sunlit streets.

Speaker 1:

This is where our story begins in the Hawaii of the 1980s, with the first victim of the Honolulu Strangler, vicky Purdy. Vicky Purdy was just 25, a feisty woman with a spark who could always hold her own. Her husband recalled how she had always dreamed of living in Hawaii, but the laid-back island life on Oahu took some adjusting. She finally began to settle in when she took a job at a local video store. On May 29th 1985, vicky went out for a night of clubbing with friends in Waikak, located on the south shore of Honolulu. She was last seen just after midnight when a taxi dropped her off at the Shorebird Hotel where her car was located. She had told her husband, gary Purdy, an army helicopter pilot, she'd be home by 9pm, but as the hours ticked by, worry set in. When he went looking for her, he found her car, right where she'd left it now, with a fresh dent and no sign of Vicky.

Speaker 1:

The following day, a call came into the Honolulu Police Department reporting a body in the Key High Lagoon. It was Vicky. She was still in the clothes she'd worn that night a yellow jumpsuit with injuries. That told the story of a brutal murder. Her hands were tied behind her back and she had been raped and strangled. Her husband suspected there might be a connection between Vicky's murder and her job at the video rental store, a place with a notorious reputation. The store didn't just rent out the latest blockbusters, it also dealt in adult films. Just a year earlier, two women had been brutally stabbed to death there, adding an unsettling layer to the already mysterious circumstances of Vicky's death.

Speaker 1:

The investigation into Vicky Purdy's death quickly hit a wall, despite her husband's suspicion that her job at the video store, with its connections to the adult film industry, might have played a role. That lead turned cold. There were no clues, no suspects and no promising evidence. The case seemed to be slipping away. Months passed without a single lead, but then, on the morning of January 14th 1986, another body was found.

Speaker 1:

17-year-old Regina Sakamoto vanished after quickly calling her boyfriend, telling him she'd be late for school, missing her usual bus, she took local transit instead and was last seen waiting at the bus stop. No one realised something was wrong until later that evening, when she didn't return home. Her worried family contacted the police reporting her missing. On January 15th her body was discovered in Kehi Lagoon. Regina was also wearing the same clothes as when she went missing a blue tank top and white sweatshirt. But she was nude from the waist down and her hands were tied behind her back. She had been raped and strangled. Given the identical method of operation and the fact that both victims' bodies were discovered at the same location, police were convinced they were hunting a single, relentless killer.

Speaker 1:

Two weeks after Regina Sakamoto's body was discovered, authorities found another victim, 21-year-old Denise Hughes, living in Pearl City with her husband. Hughes was known to take the bus daily. When she failed to return home one day, she was reported missing. Three teenagers discovered her body in a drainage canal near the sites where Vicky Purdy and Regina Sakamoto were found. Regina, like the others, had been wearing the same clothes as the night she went missing a blue dress and she had been raped and strangled. Due to similarities in her injuries to those of the previous victims, the police assembled a 27-man task force on February 5th to tackle the investigation. The task force's profilers crafted an intricate profile of the suspect, describing him as an opportunistic yet organised killer. Their analysis suggested he left minimal evidence and likely worked or lived in the area. Investigators also scrutinised the rope used to bind the victim's wrists and discovered it was a parachute cord, a detail that could provide crucial insights into the killer's background.

Speaker 1:

The fourth victim was 25-year-old Louise Medeiros. Louise, a resident of Waipahu, had recently travelled to Kauai to be with her extended family. After her mother's passing On the night of March 26th, she took a late flight back to Oahu, telling her family she planned to catch a bus home from the airport. She never made it. Her family she planned to catch a bus home from the airport. She never made it. After disembarking from the plane, louise vanished without a trace. Her decomposing body was discovered a week later, on April 2nd, by road workers near Wakell Stream. Louise was still wearing her blouse, her lower half unclothed and her hands tied behind your back. She was bearing the same injuries as the other victims.

Speaker 1:

In a desperate bid to catch the killer, police launched undercover sting operations, deploying female officers around Kehi Lagoon and Honolulu International Airport, the very spots where the murderer had left his victims. In the meantime, authorities warned women to be vigilant and avoid public transportation. On April 29th 1986, 36-year-old Linda Pesci was reported missing by her roommate. Linda had left work the night before but never made it home, and when she failed to show up for work the next day, alarm bells went off. Her car was found abandoned on the side of the Nimitz H1 viaduct.

Speaker 1:

Police, already on edge, with roadblocks in place to question regular commuters about any suspicious activity, quickly zeroed in on Linda's case. Witnesses recalled seeing Linda's car the night she disappeared and reported spotting a light-coloured van nearby, driven by a man described as Caucasian or mixed race. A few days later, a 46-year-old man walked into the Honolulu Police Department with an unusual tip. He claimed that a psychic had told him where a body could be found on Sand Island. Though sceptical, the police agreed to let him take them to the site. After a thorough search, nothing initially turned up, but when they expanded the search to the entire island, they discovered Linda Pesci's body completely nude, with her hands bound behind her back. With this latest murder, local businesses offered a $25,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest.

Speaker 1:

The man who provided the tip quickly became the prime suspect. Investigators began tracking his every move, questioning his friends, family and co-workers. He was Howard Gay, a middle-aged Caucasian mechanic from Iwa Beach, described by those who knew him as clean-cut and polite. The La Mariana Sailing Club staff, where Gay often spent time, believed he was fascinated with one of the waitresses. She recalled an unsettling encounter when he offered her a ride home, but she chose to leave with a local biker she knew. Instead, with his suspicious knowledge of the crime scene's location, police arrested Gay and brought him in for questioning.

Speaker 1:

Howard Gay's ex-wife and girlfriend provided troubling testimonies. They described him as a smooth talker who had a disturbing preference for having sex with them while their hands were bound behind their backs. His girlfriend also mentioned that on the nights of the murders, gay would often storm out of the house after heated arguments. Additionally, he had a history of violence, including a severe altercation with a young woman who refused to accept a ride from him. Altercation with a young woman who refused to accept a ride from him. Despite these allegations, gay was interrogated between 8pm and 3am and failed a polygraph test. However, due to insufficient evidence, he was released. Two months later a woman came forward claiming she had seen Pesci's car the night. She disappeared and had spotted her with a man. She identified Gay in a photo line-up but chose not to testify, fearing that Gay had seen her. Without further evidence, the case went cold. Howard Gay eventually moved to the mainland and the murders ceased abruptly. To this day, the Honolulu Strangler remains unidentified and the case remains unsolved.

Speaker 1:

Now let's look at Howard Gay, the man potentially responsible for all of this violence. He was born in 1943 in Buffalo, new York. His early life remained undocumented, but he joined the army. Buffalo, new York. His early life remained undocumented, but he joined the army. He was stationed at George Air Force Base, located about 30 minutes from Apple Valley, california, where he would eventually settle. After being discharged in 1965, gay attended Victor Valley College, earned an associate degree and started working for Continental Telephone in Victorville as a lineman and teletype repairman. That same year, gay married his college sweetheart, rita Thompson, and they had two sons, justin and Jason. By 1968, gay had taken a job with Flying Tiger Line at Los Angeles International Airport. In his role with Flying Tiger Line, howard Gay was responsible for training cargo aircraft mechanics worldwide. In 1980, he was transferred to Daniel K Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, hawaii.

Speaker 1:

Gay settled into a rented three-bedroom house in Ewa Beach. He and his wife divorced in 1983. Rented three-bedroom house in Ewa Beach. He and his wife divorced in 1983. During a surprise visit from his family, gay reacted angrily, refusing to let them into his home and insisting they stay at a hotel. They were sent back to California two days later. Despite this, neighbours described him as a polite and helpful individual. However, at the La Mariana Sailing Club in 1986, a female assistant manager reported that Gay frequently stared at her, persistently offered rides and displayed a volatile temper when she declined his advances.

Speaker 1:

In June 1986, howard Gay returned to California to attend his son, jason's high school graduation. Tragically, just three days later, jason was killed in a car accident. This loss led Gay to embrace Christianity. In 1988, after Flying Tiger Line was acquired by FedEx, gay began working for the company in Memphis, tennessee. He lived there until his death from kidney failure in November 2003, when he was 60 years old. Although Gay was never charged or tried, lieutenant Louis Sousa, detective Jeff Yamashita, who investigated the Medeiros case, and Prosecutor Peter Carlyle were all firmly convinced that Gay was the Honolulu Strangler. All firmly convinced that Gay was the Honolulu Strangler. Thank you for joining us on this journey through the shadows of humanity. On the End of Reason podcast. As we conclude today's episode, remember that the pursuit of truth never truly ends. Until next time, stay vigilant, stay curious and never let go of reason.