In the annals of American crime, few figures stand as starkly tragic and unsettling as Eugene Walter Barrett. His story spans several decades, weaving through the lives of three women he loved, all of whom met their untimely ends by his hand in Honolulu, Hawaii. Born on June 30, 1931, in Oakland, California, Barrett's life was a tapestry of violence, addiction, and a quest for redemption that ultimately ended in failure.

Early Life

Eugene Walter Barrett's early years offered little indication of the darkness that would later define his life. As the older of two sons to Howard and Emily Barrett (née Amorin), Eugene spent his formative years in California, before moving to Honolulu. There, his education halted prematurely when he dropped out of Washington Intermediate School in the ninth grade. Seeking direction, Barrett joined the Army, serving in the Korean War. Yet, his service ended in disgrace with a dishonorable discharge in 1955, a result of his increasing alcohol dependency.

The Murders

Annie E. Phillips (1959)

After his discharge, Barrett returned to the familiar streets of Honolulu, where he met Annie E. Phillips, a divorced mother of five. Their relationship, however, was fraught with turmoil, exacerbated by Barrett's unemployment and excessive drinking. When Phillips ended their relationship in 1959, Barrett's response was one of fatal rage. Armed with a gun, he forced his way into her apartment at the Mayor Wright Homes. Ignoring her children in the living room, he confronted Phillips in her bedroom and shot her multiple times, killing her instantly. Neighbors, alerted by the commotion, managed to restrain him until the police arrived.

During his trial, Barrett claimed an alcoholic blackout erased his memory of the shooting, a claim contradicted by witnesses who recalled him saying she "deserved it." Convicted of second-degree murder, he initially received a life sentence, later reduced to 15-to-50 years. Remarkably, Barrett was paroled in 1967 after the then-Governor John A. Burns commuted his minimum sentence to eight years.

Roberta Ululani Aveiro (1972)

Upon his release, Barrett married Roberta Ululani Aveiro in 1971. However, their marriage quickly soured, largely due to his persistent alcoholism. Aveiro filed for divorce in November 1972. Just a month later, Barrett tracked her to the Hawaii Hotel, where he stabbed her multiple times with a kitchen knife. Arrested and charged with manslaughter, Barrett pleaded guilty and was sentenced to ten years in prison. He was paroled in 1976, with all parole requirements dismissed by 1982.

Doneshia "RoxAnne" Kastner (1995)

The 1980s saw Barrett living in relative peace, yet his emotional instability persisted. Residing in an apartment on Kinau Street, he became fixated on his neighbor, Doneshia "RoxAnne" Kastner, a woman with a troubled past but one who was trying to provide for her young son, Ethan. Although no romantic relationship existed, Barrett believed Kastner mocked him by dating other men. His paranoia reached a point where he voluntarily checked into The Queen's Medical Center for psychiatric treatment.

Shortly after his release in August 1995, Barrett's fears and anger culminated in murder. On August 11, he retrieved a .25 semiautomatic pistol from his apartment, crossed the street to Kastner’s new apartment, and shot her twice in the head. Her son, Ethan, saw Barrett leaving and immediately informed his father, who contacted the authorities. Kastner was rushed to The Queen's Medical Center but died from her injuries that day.

Arrest, Trial, and Imprisonment

Barrett's arrest followed a peculiar turn of events. The day after the murder, he entered the Columbia Inn, pleading with the manager to call the police so he could surrender peacefully. Once in custody, Barrett faced charges of murder, theft, and unlawful possession of a firearm, pleading not guilty despite the overwhelming evidence.

The trial drew significant attention, particularly as Ethan Kastner, just seven years old, took the stand as one of Hawaii's youngest witnesses. His testimony, supported by neighbor Enrique Crisostomo, was crucial in identifying Barrett as the murderer. Barrett's defense argued that his actions stemmed from Kastner's perceived mistreatment, but the jury remained unswayed. Convicted on all counts, Barrett received a life sentence, with Justice Wendell K. Hubby mandating a minimum of 40 years before parole eligibility, effectively ensuring he would spend the rest of his life in prison.

Death

Barrett's life ended on November 8, 2003, at the Pali Momi Medical Center in Waimalu, Hawaii. After serving much of his sentence in Oklahoma, he had returned to Hawaii, where he succumbed to an undisclosed illness. In the end, the man who took so much from others left behind a legacy of sorrow and a reminder of the destructive power of unchecked anger and addiction.