Visitor charged with manslaughter after fatal Big Island beating

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A visitor from Pennsylvania was charged with manslaughter in connection with a fatal beating appeared in court Wednesday.

Benjamin Fleming, a 37-year-old from Pittsburgh, Penn., was charged in the death of Abhishik Gupta.

Police said Fleming called 911 from a vacation rental on Walua Road early Monday, telling authorities his friend went unconscious after drinking alcohol. But when officers got to the Kona home, they determined it was actually a fight between roommates that turned deadly.

[Related: 911 dispatch call reveals more information about deadly incident at a Kona vacation rental]

Fleming and another man, 31-year-old Alexander Germany-Wald, of Boston, Mass., were both arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. Germany-Wald was initially considered the main suspect.

He was later released without any charges, police said.

In court, Germany-Wald testified that Gupta was kicked out of a bar for being too drunk, and later instigated a fist fight at their vacation rental.

“Mr. Fleming came to my aid and restrained Mr. Gupta from punching me further,” Germany-Wald said.

An autopsy revealed that Gupta died of strangulation.

If convicted, Fleming faces up to 20 years in prison.

This story will be updated.

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