Higa's Friend & Neighbors Say He Was on Drugs

Written by Sabrina Hall - shall@kgmb9.com

January 18, 2008 10:29 PM

"My heart broke to hear that one of my good friends had done such a horrible thing."

In a letter to KGMB9, Matthew Higa's apparent close friend reacted to the crime he's accused of. The 23 year old is under arrest for murder, after police said he threw little Cyrus Belt off an H-1 pedestrian overpass.

Neighbors of Higa said he was odd: up in the middle of the night, often rocking back and forth with a blank look in his eyes.

Higa's friend, who wished to remain anonymous, said she can explain his behavior.

"The ice epidemic that plagues Hawaii has taken my friend Matthew Higa hostage," said Higa's friend.

"I thought he was on it too," said Eileen Vail, Higa's next door neighbor.

Vail said Higa would often scream at his father and punch the walls.

Higa's friend said his problems may have started in 2004. That's when, she said, he lost his best friend in a car accident.

Police said the two men were racing their Acuras on the H-1 Freeway when both of them crashed. His friend was killed. Higa was investigated for negligent homicide but the prosecution dropped the case.

What-ever triggered Higa to allegedly murder a nearly 2-year-old child, the Department of Health said mental illness and drug abuse is a bad combination.

"Mental illnesses are brain disorders that are treatable, and the more we can help people get treatment and be a part of the community, the safer and better we will all be," said Dr. Thomas Hest, Chief of Adult Mental Health at the State Department of Health.

If you know someone who is mentally ill who may be on drugs, the DOH is urging you to find that person help.

They said a good place to start is by calling the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

The local number for NAMI is 591-1297.