Adviento is found guilty of murder

By Star-Bulletin staff POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jul 18, 2009 A state jury deliberated 1 1/2 days before finding Melchor Adviento guilty of murder in the Oct. 28, 2007, fatal stabbing of his wife in their Kalihi home. "I think what this clearly shows is that our community will not tolerate domestic violence," said First Deputy Prosecutor Douglas Chin. At least six other people died in Hawaii in 2007 at the hands of family members. Adviento, 51, faces the mandatory life prison term with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder when he is sentenced in October. During trial he testified that he killed his wife Erlinda, 44, in self-defense, after she attacked him with two knives. He said he was able to take one knife away from her, use it to stab his wife while holding on to her right arm to prevent her from stabbing him. The Honolulu medical examiner showed the jury pictures of at least 16 stab wounds on Erlinda Adviento's head, arm, shoulder, torso and leg. The medical examiner also showed the jury pictures of what she classified as defensive wounds on the front and back of both of Erlinda Adviento's hands. Police said when they went to the Kahaha Street residence, Melchor Adviento told them his wife was cheating and that she tried to stab him, so he killed her and tried to kill himself.