Hawaii
Hawaii man freed after 30 years in prison for murder he denied committing, celebrates with steak dinner
A Hawaii man was freed after spending 30 years in prison for a murder he says he did not commit, and some of the first things he did after his release was enjoy a steak dinner and visit his mother’s grave.
Gordon Cordeiro had his freedom secured on Friday after a judge ordered him released in light of new DNA evidence that led to the overturning of his conviction in the 1994 fatal shooting of Timothy Blaisdell on the island of Maui.
Cordeiro’s mother, Paulette, died in September 1994, a month before her son was arrested. She died at the age of 49 from ALS, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease. Cordeiro and his sisters had taken turns caring for her before her passing.
“Thanks for looking over me,” Cordeiro recalled saying at her grave just hours after his release on Friday, he told The Associated Press. “Keeping me safe.”
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Gordon Cordeiro, who spent 30 years in prison for a murder he said he did not commit, visits the grave of his mother on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Makawao, Hawaii, hours after a judge ordered his release. (Denise Cordeiro via AP)
Cordeiro said he often thought about his mother during his time behind bars. He said he was with her and building shelving units for the family when Blaisdell was shot and killed during a drug deal robbery.
After enjoying a steak dinner at a steak house and visiting his mother’s grave, he celebrated with family at his father’s house. The next day, he went to other relatives’ graves and made a trip to Costco.
“It feels normal,” he told The Associated Press.
Maui, however, has changed a lot during his time in prison, Cordeiro said, citing the historic town of Lahaina being destroyed by a wildfire in 2023.
He also pointed out that technology and its consumption have changed.
“Everybody is looking at their phones,” he said.
Gordon Cordeiro enjoys dinner at a steak house Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Kahului, Hawaii, hours after a judge ordered him released because of new evidence. (AP)
Cordeiro only had a pager before he was sent to prison. He now has a smartphone, but said he is “not staring at it yet. It keeps beeping and messages coming in, and it’s different.”
Judge Kirstin Hamman announced Friday that Cordeiro’s sentence was vacated and that he was to be released from custody. She ruled that new evidence, including DNA test results, would likely change the outcome of another trial.
Maui County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Martin said he plans to appeal and seek to have bail imposed on Cordeiro’s release.
Cordeiro’s first trial ended in a hung jury, as only one juror voted to convict him. He was later found guilty of murder, robbery and attempted murder, and he was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
PHILLY MAN EXONERATED AFTER SERVING 24 YEARS FOR MURDER CONVICTION HAS BEEN CONVICTED IN SEPARATE KILLING
Gordon Cordeiro was freed after a judge ordered him released in light of new DNA evidence that led to the overturning of his conviction in the 1994 fatal shooting of Timothy Blaisdell. (iStock)
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After his conviction, new testing on physical evidence from the scene excluded him as the source of DNA on Blaisdell’s body and other crime scene evidence, according to the Hawaii Innocence Project. A DNA profile of an unidentified person was also found on the inside pockets of Blaisdell’s jeans.
“Thank God for new DNA,” Cordeiro said Saturday. “Technology is awesome.”
Cordeiro said his immediate plans include fixing cars, helping with his dad’s house and “maybe giving back to the community a little bit.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Hawaii
Healthier Hawaii: How to protect your hearing; head and neck warning signs you shouldn’t ignore
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – You may have received new earbuds or headphones during the holidays. But there are a few things you keep in mind when it comes to protecting your hearing.
Dr. Ross Shockley, an otolaryngologist with Wilcox Medical Center and Kaua‘i Medical Clinic, offers the following tips for hearing, as well as head and neck health.
Head and neck cancers
Many people are not familiar with head or neck cancers. What causes it and when should someone see a doctor?
- Traditionally, head and neck cancers were mostly associated with longtime smokers and drinkers. Now, more cases are tied to human papillomavirus (HPV), even in nonsmokers and drinkers. HPV is the same virus that can lead to cervical cancer in women. It is common and can have no symptoms.
- If you have throat pain, pain when swallowing that doesn’t go away, or a mass in your neck that feels firm and isn’t moving, don’t wait. See your doctor.
- Head and neck cancers can be treated, no matter the cause, if caught early.
How to prevent hearing loss
More young adults, in their early 20s, are experiencing hearing loss. Can hearing loss be reversed?
- Hearing loss can’t be reversed. Once ringing in ears starts, that can be permanent.
- Wear appropriate hearing protection when using power tools or firing weapons.
- You can find ear protection that blocks out sound for about $15. Protection that covers the whole ear are better than earplugs.
How do you know if music or movies are too loud?
- Don’t turn anything up to the maximum.
- You want the volume to be at the lowest level where you can still hear and understand.
- If there is background noise, don’t crank up the volume all the way to fight it. Use noise-cancelling headphones or go somewhere quieter.
Dangers of cleaning your ears
You may feel the urge to clean your ears. Shockley says do less, or even nothing at all.
- Our ears clean themselves. As new skin grows, it takes wax with it out of your ear.
- When you clean your ears, you’re interrupting that natural cleaning process.
- You can also put yourself at risk for external ear infections – or make your ears itch more.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
Hawaii
Hawaii Grown: Few isle players in College Football Playoff final four | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaii Island police are renewing their request for the public’s assistance in locating 82-year-old Jacquelyn Glenn of Kailua-Kona, who was reported missing by her family.
Police said she is considered endangered due to her age.
Glenn was last seen on Friday, Dec. 5, around 6:37 a.m., on the 75-200 block of Nani Kailua Dr. in Kailua-Kona.
She was wearing a peach-colored shirt, blue denim jeans, and black tennis shoes. She reportedly mentioned going to Hilo with friends, but did not say when she planned to return.
She is described as 5′6″, 125 Ibs, with curly grey hair and brown eyes.
Police ask anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jacquelyn Glenn to call the Hawaii Police Department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
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