Beloved father, 50, overwhelmed to loss of life by stranger on Hawaii’s most iconic paradise seashore

An Argentinian father who had recently moved to Hawaii for work was fatally beaten on one of the island’s most famous beaches.

Christian Alejandro Coronel, 50, a father of three, was staying at the Waikiki Beach Hostel on November 8 when a man he did not know attacked him without warning. 

Coronel’s two daughters, son, and ex-wife, Maria Quiroga, flew to Hawaii the day after the attack.

He was pronounced dead on the night of November 12, according to his eldest daughter, Coronel, 29, who spoke to the Star Advertiser. 

Ishmael Piula Luavasa, 43, was arrested soon after the attack. He was initially indicted on an attempted murder charge on November 12. However, following Coronel’s death, Honolulu police upgraded the charge to second-degree murder.

Luavasa is currently being held without bail. If convicted, he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Coronel had moved to Waikiki less than a month earlier to start work as a window glazier and hoped to bring his children to join him once he was settled.

He grew up in poverty in Argentina and began working at the age of eight. Despite his difficult beginnings, he later built a home from the ground up for his family in Washington and continued to send financial aid back to his family even after leaving his home country.

Christian Coronel, 50, was killed in an unprovoked attack while working in Waikiki, Hawaii

Ishmael Piula Luavasa, 43, was arrested in connection to the attack

He, his wife, and Micaela became U.S. citizens. His younger children, Ariana, 24, and Sebastian, 16, were born in the States. Micaela and Ariana said they were proud of the life he gave them.

Quiroga said Coronel was rebuilding his life after their divorce and wanted to give his children ‘a better life’.

She added, ‘It’s devastating someone took that away. He was loving and had a huge heart.’

Micaela Coronel said the family stayed by his side until he was taken for organ donation surgery. 

Hospital staff lined the halls for an honor walk, playing his favorite song, Lady Gaga’s ‘Alejandro’.

‘Alejandro was his middle name and I guess he was going by it as his first name in Hawaii. Everybody told us that he was playing that song all day every day,’ Micaela told Star Advertiser. 

The family received support throughout their stay from the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii (VASH). Jessica Lani Rich, CEO of VASH, and longtime volunteer Bob Gentry provided the family with lodging, lodging transportation, and access to grief support services.

‘It gave them tremendous comfort that he was giving someone else another chance at life,’ said Rich, who was with the family during their father’s honor walk.

Coronel’s two daughters, son, and ex-wife, Maria Quiroga, flew to Hawaii the day after the attack

Coronel had moved to Waikiki less than a month earlier to start work as a window glazier

Quiroga said the family faces a long road ahead, including returning his ashes home and seeking justice. 

‘We also have a whole couple of years of waiting for trial and court,’ Quiroga said. ‘We are not going to let go of this. We want to see justice made for him and for us.’

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family with expenses.