An eviction recently turned deadly in the Ala Moana area of Honolulu when the boyfriend of a female tenant attacked the landlord when the landlord came to serve her an eviction. According to the Honolulu Police Department, the 64-year-old man was coming to serve the eviction to his tenant when her boyfriend violently attacked him.
Another condo owner nearby was inside his unit when he heard the commotion. When the noise didn’t die down, he went downstairs to find out what was happening. He then saw the suspect dragging the victim down the stairs, who was bleeding profusely.
The suspect then left the man lying on the sidewalk and drove away. When first responders arrived, the victim was taken to Queen’s Medical Center in critical condition where he later passed away from his injuries.
The suspect was tracked down later that day and was arrested. He is currently facing second-degree murder charges.
Blood cleanup on the property
When violence occurs on a property, such as in this case when trying to evict a tenant, blood and other bodily fluids can be spilled in public and private areas. Blood can include numerous disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and other blood-borne pathogens, which threaten the health of both human and animals. Thus, blood spills need professional cleaning by trained biohazard cleaners who know how to protect both themselves and others while making sure no unseen hazards are left behind.
In this case of the murdered landlord, If the blood was left on the floor or not cleaned properly in the apartment building, it would have put many lives in danger and would have created a foul odor while damaging the building structure.
Bio X Hawaii is always here to help landlords and property owners throughout Hawaii when they need biohazards removed and blood cleaned up from their properties and the area disinfected. Just give us a call and we’ll provide you with a free quote and consultation.
The dangers of evictions for landlords
When a landlord is at the point of serving an eviction, they may face a dangerous and unhappy tenant. Whether the eviction is due to non-payment, violating the rental agreement, or harming the property, the tenant may turn violent when the landlord delivers the news or arrives to enforce the eviction notice. Some tenants use intimidation, threats of violence, or will destroy a landlord’s property. Sometimes they will turn violent, such as in the case of the murder in Ala Moana.
When interacting with tenants, there are several precautions you can take to protect yourself.
- Do not give out your home address or personal phone number: Tenants may choose to harass you or turn violent at your home property. To protect yourself and your loved ones, do not reveal where you live. Instead, give out a business phone number and use a PO Box for your address so tenants can mail you their rent checks.
- Obtain a landlord insurance policy: A landlord insurance policy will cover you in situations when a tenant damages your property. Some policies can also cover legal fees, insurance on the building, and emergency help.
- Carefully screen your renters: Always thoroughly check all references, calling a business directly to verify employment, and run a criminal background check.
- Take witnesses with you when going to the property: If you are going to the property and you suspect your tenant may be verbally or physically violent, take some strong-looking friends or handymen with you. If you need to call the police, it will help to have multiple witnesses with the same story.
- If threatened, stay calm: If a tenant threatens you, stay calm and professional, always choosing to exit the situation first.
- Keep all correspondence in writing: Always communicate with tenants in writing and save all texts, voicemail, and emails they send in case you need to present written evidence to the authorities.
- Following the letter of the law: If you need to evict a tenant, follow every legal step to the letter. If you have any questions on how to legally proceed, call the police’s non-emergency line to get your questions answered.
- Call the police: If you are being threatened, call the police. Police can also enforce the eviction.
- Use a property management company: A property management company can be a good idea for some landlords. The company will oversee the upkeep of the property, take rent, interact with the tenant, and oversee the eviction process if necessary.
Bio X Hawaii is here to help
Our team at Bio X Hawaii is always here to help our Hawaii community and property owners start to heal after tragedies occur by thoroughly cleaning up blood and other bodily fluids and restoring safe properties. Give us a call today. We are committed to serving our community with genuine aloha and our owner, Mark, is just a phone call away.
Our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends as they grieve their loss.
