WAILUKU, Haw. — The Maui News contacted Lake County Publishing Thursday regarding the death of Celestial Dove Cassman, a former Clear Lake High School honors student.
Gerald Galaway Jr. of Santa Cruz pleaded no contest Thursday to a reduced charge of manslaughter in the killing of his girlfriend, whose body was found last year near Nakalele Point. He also pleaded no contest to kidnapping.
Galaway faces 20 to 40 years when he is sentenced Sept. 11.
Galaway 39, and Cassman, 35 at the time, were both Santa Cruz residents. They arrived on Maui the day before she was killed, Sept. 1.
A witness reported seeing Galaway holding Cassman in a chokehold and dragging her into bushes as she kicked and screamed, according to police.
Cassman was a University of California, Santa Cruz graduate who lived in the Seabright area and worked at the downtown Santa Cruz law firm Atchison, Barisone, Condotti & Kovacevich.
