Trouble In Paradise For Hawaiian Model

In 1986, 25-year-old Lee Ann Kauhane was becoming one of Hawaii's top models. That same year, 24-year-old Segundo Matias arrived in Honolulu from Puerto Rico.

Matias claimed to be a professional surfer, though no one could substantiate his claim. Also known as "Cuco", Matias flashed lots of cash around, and it was in the summer of 1986 that he fell in love with the beautiful Hawaiian model.

However, cops and police say that their romance was also fueled by cocaine. And Cuco Matias had plenty on hand. Soon after, the cocaine began to take its toll.

In the fall of 1987, Matias invited Lee Ann to join him on vacation in Australia. But police say Australia was probably one of several locations on Matias' dope-dealing circuit. And it was in a Sydney hotel room that Lee Ann woke up to find Matias cutting a large amount of cocaine and realized that she was in over her head.

Lee Ann decided to go home, but Matias convinced her to smuggle a large amount of cash into Hawaii. At this point, federal drug agents already suspected Matias was smuggling cocaine, so when Lee Ann returned to Honolulu, U.S. inspectors were waiting for her. They found $26,000 taped to her body. That's when Lee Ann told them that Matias had earned the money selling cocaine in Australia. Since Lee Ann was facing criminal charges, she agreed to help trap Matias.

When Matias returned to Honolulu on Feb. 28, 1988, Lee Ann was there to meet him -- and so were federal authorities. Matias didn't have drugs on him, but in his briefcase he carried $35,000 in cash, which was seized by U.S. Customs agents.

Over the next two months, Lee Ann threw herself into her work and was now one of Hawaii's most photographed faces. It was clear that Lee Ann was trying to distance herself from Matias and continue with her career. But Matias wouldn't let go. After calling her constantly and looking for her in clubs and restaurants Lee Ann finally agreed to meet with him. It was April 25, 1988.

Police say Matias went to Lee Ann's house and they sat inside his car, talking for almost an hour. But when Leann told him that she wanted to end the relationship permanently, cops say Matias pulled out a gun a shot her in the head.

Police found Matias' car abandoned two miles from Lee Ann's home. Lee Ann's body was inside the car and Matias had vanished.

AMW Capture #100

Matias Behind Bars Thanks To AMW Tipster

Matias became AMW's Direct 100th Capture, thanks to one of our viewers.
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A year after AMW profiled Segundo Matias' story, AMW tipsters helped police nab the accused killer.

In February 1989, minutes after we aired Matias on our show, tips led police to an apartment house in Newark, N.J., where he was hiding out. The FBI missed him by just minutes, but they came up with new photos and new clues about the fugitive.

AMW was not willing to give up and aired the story two more times, and each time viewers kept calling. Matias had already been tracked from Hawaii to Newark and then to Puerto Rico, where he disappeared.

But with so many people looking for him, Matias was forced to hide in the Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles, where he moved in with two women.

On March 18, 1990 as AMW was airing Matias' profile, Matias went for a walk to the beach, not knowing that tipsters were sending cops to his hideout. When Matias returned home, police were waiting for him by the door.