LIHUE, Hawaii (Island News) -- The life sentence for the man who stabbed his elderly landlord to death on Kauai in 2018 was upheld on Wednesday by the Hawaii Supreme Court.

Peter Grewer was convicted after a jury trial in 2021 for the murder of Joellen Hartman, his 67-year-old wheelchair-bound landlord, that took place on June 18, 2018. The victim was found dead in her Koloa home after he stabbed her 17 times.

As a result of the initial trial, Grewer was convicted for second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The state also sought an extended and enhanced sentencing because of how heinous and cruel the crime was in addition to the victim’s age.

This trial included an overwhelming amount of evidence — circumstantial evidence and forensic DNA

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