Telma Boinville was tragically murdered in December 2017 on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. She was found beaten to death in a vacation rental where she was cleaning. Two suspects were arrested in connection with her murder.
Boinville, a 51-year-old mother and substitute teacher, was working as a house cleaner at a vacation rental in Pupukea. On December 7, 2017, she was attacked during what appeared to be a burglary that turned violent. Her 8-year-old daughter was found alive in the house, bound and gagged in a separate room when the police arrived.
The crime shocked the local community, which remembered Boinville for her kindness and dedication to children and the environment. The brutality of the murder prompted a large turnout at a memorial paddle-out, a traditional Hawaiian tribute to those who have passed.
The suspects, Stephen Brown and Hailey Dandurand, were apprehended later that evening in Mililani, after they were found in the stolen vehicle belonging to Boinville. They were charged with second-degree murder, among other charges. The case brought attention to issues of crime and safety on the island, leading to calls for more stringent measures to protect residents and visitors alike.
The trial and subsequent legal proceedings were closely followed by the community, with many seeking justice for the senseless and brutal act that took Boinville’s life and left a family and community in mourning.