Charges Filed in Knifepoint Robbery of Homeless Man

Kona police on Thursday charged a 31-year-old man for allegedly robbing another homeless man at knifepoint the day before.

Police said Marcus Anthony Winkler, who has no permanent address, was charged with first-degree robbery, promoting a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia.

An unidentified 43-year-old homeless man told police responding to a Hanama Place parking lot at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday that he had been sleeping outside a Kailua-Kona business when he woke to find an acquaintance taking money from his pants pocket.

The victim struggled with his assailant until the man brandished a pocket knife and then fled the scene with the cash, police said. No one was injured.

Police located Winkler at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday on Ali‘i Drive. Upon his arrest, police allegedly found a glass smoking pipe with crystalline residue believed to be methamphetamine.

Winkler was being held Thursday at the Kona cellblock in lieu of $70,000 bail pending a Friday court appearance.