Man arrested in Utah nursing home may not be extradited for 1977 McKinley HS murder

ABC4 March 12, 2025, Salt Lake City, UT: … Gideon Castro, a 66-year-old man who was arrested at a Utah nursing home in connection to the 1977 death of 16-year-old Dawn Momohara at KcKinley HS in Honolulu, Hawaii, may not be extradited and may instead be released from custody, according to a proposed court motion.

Castro was arrested in Utah on Jan. 21, 2025, on suspicion of second-degree murder. After his arrest, he was awaiting extradition, but Hawaii authorities are reportedly deciding to not extradite Castro from Utah, according to a spokesperson for the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.

A proposed motion in Utah — that has not yet been signed by a judge — would order Castro to be released “from physical and legal custody.” He is currently being held in the Health Services Unit of the Salt Lake County Jail.

Clayton Simms, a Utah attorney, told ABC4.com that extradition consists of governor-to-governor communication, and said that if there is no hold on the suspect in Utah, Castro would be released….

The Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office provided the following statement to ABC4’s sister station in Honolulu, KHON2: “At this time we have no comment as we are still continuing our investigation into the matter.”

When asked about the decision made regarding Castro’s extradition, a spokesperson with the Honolulu Police Department told ABC4.com that the investigation is ongoing, and said no updates were being released at this time.

In February 2025, Castro waived the right to challenge his extradition at a hearing in Salt Lake City, during which Castro appeared by video from a hospital bed, the Associated Press reports….

Should a judge sign the proposed order to release Castro, he would no longer be held at the Salt Lake County Jail, and he would not be sent to Hawaii….

read … Man arrested in Utah nursing home may not be extradited for 1977 Hawaii murder

ABC4: Utah courts propose releasing suspect in 1970s murder case from Hawaii

AP: Utah Judge Orders Release Of Suspect In 1977 Hawai‘i Killing After Prosecution Stalls

KHON: Utah judge orders release of suspect in Momohara killing after prosecution stalls | KHON2

HNN: Judge orders release of McKinley High cold case murder suspect