What did Stephen Brown do? Oahu man indicted over 2017 Telma Boinville murder

After a 2-week trial, a 12-member jury found Stephen Brown guilty of murdering Telma Boinville in December 2017. Attorneys made their closing arguments on Thursday, January 19, 2023, in Stephen Brown’s trial, following which the jury convicted him of the crime.

The 51-year-old was found dead at a vacation rental on Ke Iki Road in December 2017. Telma’s 8-year-old daughter, Makana, was also present at the residence and was tied up. However, the daughter was found uninjured. Two suspects, Stephan Brown and his girlfriend Hailey Dandurand were arrested and charged with murder.

The jury has convicted Brown of murder, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of burglary. His sentencing is scheduled to take place on Monday, January 23, 2023. Hailey’s trial will begin after she has pleaded not guilty to the charges pressed against her.

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Telma Boinville murder suspect Stephen Brown was declared guilty by a 12-member jury on Friday

Boinville was a teacher who was cleaning vacation rentals for some extra earnings. The tragic incident can be traced to 2017 when she was at a vacation rental on Ke Iki Road doing her cleaning job. Makana was waiting for her mother in the car when the latter was set up and killed. The young girl was kidnapped and found tied up in the house.

The then-23-year-old Stephen Brown and his then-20-year-old girlfriend Hailey Dandurand were arrested and charged with murdering Telma and kidnapping Makana. The couple further faced burglary charges as well. The bail amounts for Brown and Hailey were set at $1 million and $500,000 respectively.

Hawaii News Now reported that Telma received blunt-force trauma to her head. When investigative officers discovered her, she was in a pool of blood. Stephen Brown was allegedly not remorseful for his actions and vaguely told her daughter that her mom had been murdered. Brown tied Telma up and used a machete along with other weapons to murder her.

According to Stephen Brown’s testimony, he left the property and returned with his girlfriend Hailey. During the closing argument, Brown’s attorney told the jury that his client was responsible for burglary and kidnapping, but not murdering the woman. However, Deputy Prosecutor Scott Bell said that Brown confessed to Telma’s daughter that the couple had killed her mom.

The delay in the trial and conviction had made the North Shore neighborhood impatient. Telma's death shook the entire neighborhood. The murder investigation began in 2017, and the decision arrived after several trial dates and testimonies.

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Brown’s then-girlfriend Hailey is scheduled to begin trial in July 2023

According to Stephen Brown, it was his then-girlfriend Hailey who tied the 51-year-old up. He left the house once, and upon returning discovered that Boinville was dead.

Prosecutors, on the other hand, said that blood was found on Stephen’s clothes and not on Hailey. They also added that Stephen Brown was the only one “physically powerful enough to subdue Telma Boinville.”

Brown’s attorney also pointed out that had he killed the woman, he would have had more blood on him and on Telma’s daughter who he carried out after the murder. The defense attorney also mentioned that the DNA evidence does not connect Brown with the murder weapons.

After a two-week trial, the jury took about half a day to declare the 28-year-old guilty. Brown was found guilty of two counts of kidnapping, second-degree murder, and first-degree burglary.

The other suspect, Hailey Dandurand, is scheduled to face trial in July. She reportedly pled not guilty to the charges pressed against her. She faces the same charges of burglary, kidnapping, and murder.