Community Corner

Witness "Tried to Intervene" before Cassman's Death

Santa Cruz, Capitola and former Half Moon Bay Deputy City Attorney Celestial Cassman was beaten and killed on Sept. 1 in Maui.

In the week since Santa Cruz woman Celestial Cassman, 35, was , witnesses have come forward to recount what they saw that Thursday.

According to Hawaii News Now, one woman saw Cassman and her alleged boyfriend, Gerald Galaway, also from Santa Cruz, transition an argument from inside a car to out on the street. She "tried to intervene, but was told by Galaway that everything was 'fine.'"

The witness told police that Galaway then began picking Cassman up and throwing her onto the ground, Hawaii News Now reported.

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As Galaway became more angry and violent, the witness left the scene to find a way to alert authorities.

When police arrived, they found Cassman's body down an embankment. Following the attack, Galaway jumped off a nearby cliff, falling 100 feet into the ocean, reported.

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He was found alive on the morning of Friday, Sept. 2 and taken to a nearby hospital to treat minor injuries.

Galaway now  and his bail has been set at $500,000.

Police believe Cassman may have also been sexually assaulted, citing the fact that her breasts were exposed when she was found, and that Galaway was wearing nothing but a t-shirt after fleeing the scene. According to Hawaii News Now, however, as of Thursday morning, Galaway has not been charged with sexual assault.

To see the full incident report and court documents, click .

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