Former patient charged in death of nurse at Hawaii behavioral hospital

A former patient is facing a second-degree murder charge for allegedly stabbing a nurse to death at a Hawaii behavioral health hospital. 

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The victim, 29-year-old Justin Bautista, had worked at Hawaii State Hospital in Kaneohe for many years, KHON reported Nov. 15. 

The suspect, Tommy Carvalho, 25, was arrested at the hospital and charged on the evening of Nov. 13, according to Honolulu police records.

In a Nov. 14 news release, Hawaii Department of Health Director Kenneth Fink, MD, said the suspect was discharged from the hospital in August and was in a transitional residential program operated by the state. 

Mr. Carvalho had received inpatient mental health treatment on multiple occasions and had successfully transitioned back to living in the community, KHON reported. Officials told the station the incident appeared “unanticipated and unprovoked.” 

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