Former Hawaii State Hospital Patient Indicted for Fatal Stabbing of Nurse

Tommy Kekoa Carvalho, previously guilty of assaulting a mental health worker, was still residing on the hospital campus as part of a transition program at the time of the incident.

• Tommy Kekoa Carvalho, a former patient at Hawaii State Hospital, has been indicted on a second-degree murder charge for the fatal stabbing of nurse Justin Bautista.
• Carvalho had pleaded guilty in 2020 to assaulting a state mental health worker and was discharged from the hospital in August 2023, but was still residing on the campus as part of a community transition program.
• The incident occurred on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023, and Carvalho was arrested and held without bail.
• The Hawaii Department of Health stated that Carvalho's previous assault conviction would have been considered during his discharge assessment.
• The incident has prompted a safety review at the Hawaii State Hospital, which has faced scrutiny in the past for security issues.

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