MILILANI MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR KILLING HIS MOTHER AND HER DOG

A Milinani man will spend decades behind bars after brutally killing his mother and her dog.

A Honolulu judge handed 39-year-old Jamil Hart a life term with the possibility of parole for the stabbing death of his mother, 74-year-old Qwendolyn Hara-Hart. Hart was found guilty and convicted by an Oahu jury of second-degree murder, second-degree attempted burglary, and first-degree animal cruelty.

“Today’s sentence reflects our office’s unwavering commitment to protecting the most
vulnerable members of our community and holding violent offenders fully accountable for their
actions. This was a horrific and deeply tragic crime that took the life of a 74-year-old woman in her own home. While no sentence can undo the harm caused, we hope this outcome brings a measure of justice to the victim’s family and reinforces that acts of extreme violence will be met with the most serious consequences under the law,” said Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm, according to KHON2.

On Feb. 23, 2020, Honolulu Police responded to the Waipio Gardens apartment complex on Waihau Street in Mililani after a neighbor called 911 and heard glass shattering from the residence and saw a man hanging from the balcony.

“Looked like he was gonna jump, so I was really concerned. I didn’t really recognize the guy,” said the victim’s neighbor, Brenda Dixon, reported Hawaii News Now.

Upon arrival, they found the victim with traumatic injuries to her head. An autopsy report later showed Hart stabbed his mother multiple times, dragged her to her bedroom, where he stabbed her dog, Yuko, to death.

Later, after the fatal incident, the defendant was arrested while trying to break into a church. Furthermore, a CCTV camera captured Hart leaving his mother’s apartment with a bloody laptop, which was later found in a drainage ditch close to the residence.

The motive for the killing remains unclear.

Hart agreed not to appeal his case, in exchange for a life sentence to serve a mandatory minimum of 15 years, and the parole board would determine when he comes up for parole eligibility.

Family members described Hara-Hart as a mother who adored the defendant. The victim had reported her son missing a month before the fatal incident.