The death of Emery Kauanui Jr. has shaken La Jolla’s small village to its core.
A professional surfer and La Jolla High School graduate, Kauanui is described by family and friends as a sweet person with a sensitive heart. At age 24, his life was unexpectedly taken but he has left a lasting mark on the surf community and La Jolla, as was evident Saturday, June 9, when more than 200 surfers paid tribute to Kauanui during a paddle-out at Windansea Beach.
Now, in the weeks following his death, La Jolla residents are still reeling with shock and continue to question what caused such a seemingly brutal and senseless crime in their community.
“It’s a sad thing to see all the way around,” said Todd Bartlett, owner of Liquid Foundation Surf Shop in Pacific Beach, where Kauanui had been a surf team member. “Emery’s loss is going to hit the surfing community real hard. He was a great kid and he will be missed.”
In the early morning of May 25, Kauanui was beaten by four men in their 20s outside of his Draper Avenue home. Around midnight May 24, Kauanui and the men had been asked to leave the La Jolla Brew House after they fought over a drink Kauanui allegedly spilled on one of the men, according to police. Kauanui died May 28 at La Jolla’s Scripps Hospital from head injuries resulting from the attack, according to police reports.
The four suspects are Eric House, 20; Orlando Osuna; 22; Seth Cravens, 21; and Matthew Yanke, 20, all graduates of La Jolla High School and acquaintances of Kauanui. Yanke and House posted bail but Osuna and Cravens are still being held in county jail for $1.2 and $2 million bails, respectively. All face murder charges.
Since the incident, rumors circulated that the suspects were involved in a street gang dubbed the Bird Rock Bandits, after many news sources cited the young men’s MySpace pages, where they referred to themselves by that name and talked of frequent partying, drinking and beat-downs.
While the San Diego Police Department has confirmed that the Bird Rock Bandits are not a documented street gang, officers have received approximately 20 calls from mostly La Jolla residents reporting incidents involving the suspects dating back as far as 2004, according to Lt. Kevin Rooney of SDPD’s homicide unit.
In most cases, people are reporting that they were hit and kicked by one or more suspects and that the attack was not provoked, Rooney said, adding that some people were able to give a description of their attacker(s) while others were not.
“It kind of runs the gamut of people calling with background information and people calling with cases they filed years ago that have already been resolved because they declined prosecution,” Rooney said. “We are sensing some reluctance still even among people who called and left messages “” some are now having second thoughts.”
Half of the 20 recently discovered incidents had been reported at the time of occurrence and most of them happened over a number of years, according to Rooney.
As residents begin to gather more facts and try to make sense of what happened, many are asking why police, school administration or parents did not get involved sooner.
Because the incidents were so sporadic, police at Northern Division may have not noticed a connection, Rooney said, pointing out that many of the crimes were not reported when they happened and that detectives could only investigate cases that have been brought to the department’s attention, that have substantial proof and that have cooperation from the victims.
The La Jolla Brew House is also under investigation by authorities concerning the night of Kauanui’s attack. Two of the four men involved in his beating are underage and had been present at the Fay Avenue bar earlier that evening, according to police.
The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s San Diego office is conducting an investigation with the help of local authorities, according to Jennifer Hill, district administrator for ABC’s San Diego office.
The investigation will determine whether the May 24 incident involved minors who had consumed alcohol and if so, where they obtained the beverages, Hill said.
“We are working with locals to determine whether the crime was in association with the La Jolla Brew House providing alcohol service to minors,” Hill said.
Hill could not provide additional information because the case is still under active investigation, she said.
Brew House manager Darla Wilhite refused to comment on the incident.
While authorities continue their probe into that evening’s events, other residents have begun to dig deeper for answers surrounding Kauanui’s death.
La Jolla High School senior Ian Gardiner, 18, who was a friend of Kauanui and an acquaintance of the four men accused of murdering him, said all were genuinely nice people.
“The four kids “” they have good hearts, everyone knows that, but once they are drinking and doing drugs it all changes,” Gardiner said. “That’s what drugs and alcohol does, and even after this people will still go on doing this stuff. They won’t change just because of this.”
Gardiner’s mother said she watched the young men grow up and was alarmed that La Jolla High School did not do more to correct some of the aggressive behavior she often saw displayed by the four young men accused of killing the young surfer.
La Jolla High School Principal Dana Shelburne acknowledged familiarity with the four young men charged in the crime but said he could not give specific details on any incidents they were involved in while attending the school because of confidentiality.
He said the school has strict policies regarding behavioral and gang-related incidents with students. Any students displaying aggression, bullying and gang-related clothing, colors or behavior are subject to warnings and then suspension, and eventually expulsion.
“We have virtually no issue of gangs on this campus because every time someone has brought that attitude or behavior on this campus, we have stepped in,” Shelburne said. “I think most people, when they think of gangs, think of organized crime and selling drugs “” this sounds like a group of guys that got together to make a name for themselves. You don’t see them demonstrating prototypical gang behavior when you see them proclaiming themselves on MySpace as liking partying and punching “” you don’t see gangs advertising themselves that way.”
Shelburne said he sees the incident as a major tragedy for the community.
Family and friends of Kauanui have taken comfort in remembering and celebrating his life. At the paddle-out, a large board with photos of the young man was displayed, recounting his many surfing triumphs. A surf break at Windansea has been unofficially named “Emery’s Left” in his honor.
Cindy Kauanui, Emery’s mother and owner of La Jolla’s Jet Set Modeling company, said she felt at peace during the paddle-out last weekend when her son’s ashes were scattered into the ocean, and that many people at the beach told her they could feel a spiritual presence during the ceremony.
“That’s the only thing that is getting me through this,” Cindy said by e-mail from Kauai, Hawaii, where Emery Kauanui’s father “” also a professional surfer “” lives and where Emery was born. “The days are really hard, but knowing he is with God helps me get through it.”
A song written by Emery’s younger brother, which he performed live at the paddle-out, was broadcast by a local radio station in honor of the surfer’s life.
Emery’s close friend Mike Powers, a former professional surfer and La Jolla native who described himself as a big brother figure to the young man, said he hopes the incident will get the attention of the community.
“We all need to understand this was one of our kids, and all of us together need to watch over these kids,” Powers said. “It’s not someone else’s kids “” we’re all responsible to look out over the surfing community, and in La Jolla to make sure we are all taken care of and safe.”
Gardiner, who used to surf with Emery almost every day, remembered his friend as always being out in the water and always having a good time.
“He was always nice and he respected everyone, no matter what age,” Gardiner said. “He always had a smile on his face ” always. I’d never seen anything but. He always seemed like he didn’t have a bother in the world.”