The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s office today released the official cause of death and identities of the Oda family, confirming that the 46-year-old father fatally stabbed his wife and their three children before killing himself Sunday in their Manoa home.
Paris Oda, who grew up on Kauai, died of “stab wounds of the chest” and the manner of death was suicide, according to the city Department of the Medical Examiner’s findings, which were released this morning by Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s office.
His wife, Naoko Oda, 48, originally from Japan, died of “multiple sharp force injuries,” and her manner of death was homicide.
Finding her family in Japan to notify them delayed the public release of the identities, according to city officials.
The eldest Oda child, Sakurako “Sakura” Oda, a 17-year-old senior at ‘Iolani School, died of “multiple sharp force injuries.” Her brother, Orion, a 12-year-old sixth-grader at School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability public charter school in Nuuanu, died of “sharp force wounds of torso,” according to the according to the Medical Examiner’s office. And the youngest Oda child, 10-year-old Nana, who attended Manoa Elementary School, died of “sharp force wounds of torso.”
The manner of death for each child was homicide, according to the Medical Examiner’s office.
Paris Oda was the owner of Oda Ohana Chiropractic and Medical Massage LLC. His family released a statement after the identities were confirmed today.
“As we continue to grieve and make sense of this tragedy, the Oda family would like to express our gratitude to everyone who has reached out to us with their outpouring of support. It has been extremely difficult for our entire family to understand and accept the circumstances about why Naoko, Sakurako, Orion, Nana, and Paris are no longer with us,” read the statement.
“Our hearts are forever broken and we are searching for a path that gives us some solace and the hope needed to go forward with our daily lives. At this time, we appreciate the public’s understanding of our family’s request for privacy. The showing of aloha from friends, colleagues, and community members means more than any of you will ever know. Thank you.”