Active-duty Marine is arrested after allegedly stabbing his estranged wife to death, police said
Nicole Acevedo
Sat, July 23, 2022, 2:43 PM·2 min read
via Facebook
An active-duty Marine allegedly stabbed his estranged wife to death after having an argument on a Hawaii freeway this week, according to Honolulu police.
The medical examiner identified the stabbing victim as Dana Alotaibi, 27, NBC-affiliated station KHNL in Honolulu reported. The husband has been identified as Bryant Tejeda-Castillo, a Marine assigned to the 3rd Littoral Combat Team. He was arrested Wednesday night on a second degree murder charge, arrest records show.
Witnesses saw the violence take place on the H-3 Interstate Highway Wednesday evening at around 6:18 p.m. Some of them pulled over and attempted to restrain the man, who was in possession of a knife, while also rendering aid to the victim, Homicide Lt. Deena Thoemmes said in a press conference Thursday.
Scroll to continue with content
Ad
Alotaibi was taken to a hospital after being stabbed multiple times and pronounced dead at 8:31 p.m., Thoemmes said.
Tejeda-Castillo used the knife he had to injure himself during his arrest and was also taken to a hospital, Thoemmes said. Honolulu police could not be reached Saturday to clarify his condition.
A Marine Corps spokesperson told NBC News Saturday that Tejeda-Castillo "is currently in the custody of the Honolulu Police Department as their investigation continues. He has not been formally charged."
Tejeda-Castillo and Alotaibi had been dealing with marital issues, according to Thoemmes.
ADVERTISEMENT
Natalia Cespedes, Alotaibi’s mother, told KHNL she had advised her daughter to report Tejeda-Castillo to his command and police after she spoke out about facing domestic violence.
“She sent me like a picture with all these bruises all over her body,” Cespedes said.
Friends of Alotaibi also said she was 13 weeks pregnant with her current boyfriend and planned to move back to the mainland to be with her family, KHNL reported. The medical examiner has not yet confirmed her pregnancy publicly.
On her last YouTube video posted on July 14, Alotaibi described herself as an entertainer and social media personality known for doing music, reaction videos and some “adult content.” She also opened up about some of the issues she was having with her husband of nearly three years.
In the video Alotaibi said Tejeda-Castillo had threaten to kill her in December. A “no contact order,” the military’s version of a restraining order, was then placed against him, Alotaibi said. After violating the order, a commanding officer imposed a non-judicial punishment on Tejeda-Castillo. Since then, the couple had been trying to get a divorce, Alotaibi said.
The Marine Corps spokesperson said they "will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement officials as the details surrounding this incident unfold," adding they extend their "deepest sympathies to the family and friends of those involved.”
ADVERTISEMENT
View comments
Active-duty Marine is arrested after allegedly stabbing his estranged wife to death, police said
An active-duty Marine allegedly stabbed his estranged wife to death after having an argument on a Hawaii freeway this week, according to Honolulu police.
Waste all around!!!!
