THE BROKEN AMERICAN DREAM

Katherine “Kathy” Dingle, born in Pangasinan in 1972, was a beloved member of the Filipino community in Hilo, Hawaii.

She was married to Steve Dingle, and together they were raising four children. Their life was the embodiment of the American Dream, built through hard work and determination.

However, their seemingly perfect life concealed years of deep marital discord. Steve, who met Kathy in the Philippines and married her despite his mother’s strong disapproval of foreign brides, grew consumed by mistrust and jealousy.

The couple’s relationship was constantly strained by financial issues and Steve’s paranoia, which intensified when his mother showed him evidence suggesting Kathy was secretly sending money to her family in the Philippines to build a house.

Steve immediately believed his mother and confronted Kathy, leading to years of escalating suspicion and tension.

He became emotionally distant, stopped paying the mortgage and bills, and often stayed away from home for weeks, claiming to be working overtime as a bellman and taxi driver.

Kathy discovered Steve was having an affair with a co-worker named Gloria Aquino. A confrontation at Steve’s hotel, where he was found with Gloria, only briefly paused the affair, which resumed despite Kathy’s pleas for her husband to end it.

THE FINAL FURY

Despite the abuse and infidelity, Kathy refused to divorce Steve, citing her Catholic faith and her desire for her four children to have a complete family.

In 2004, Steve filed for divorce, but later withdrew the petition when he realized the financial cost—he would have to pay child support and lose their house.

In the years that followed, Steve continued his affairs, which Kathy tolerated until she was overheard talking to another man on the phone, possibly a family member. Steve, consumed by jealousy, wrongly concluded she was having an affair.

On May 29, 2010, Steve contacted a cousin who worked with Kathy, inquiring about her whereabouts. The cousin reported that Kathy was talking to a man.

Consumed by rage, Steve rushed to meet Kathy. CCTV footage later revealed Steve purchasing a knife at a local store minutes before the confrontation, indicating premeditation.

Steve and his cousin located Kathy’s car at the Hilo Bayfront parking lot. Steve approached the vehicle, and moments later, Kathy fled, running for her life. Steve chased her, his rage overriding any sense of self-preservation.

Witnesses who were watching the sunset were shocked to see a man relentlessly pursuing a woman with a weapon. A bystander intervened, using a baseball bat to strike Steve, momentarily halting the pursuit.

However, Steve got up and continued his assault. He only stopped when another vehicle struck him, allowing bystanders to rush the severely wounded Kathy to the hospital.

Kathy Dingle succumbed to her severe internal injuries at 1:00 a.m. on May 30, 2010. The crime devastated the Filipino community in Hawaii, leaving four children orphaned.

JUSTICE AND PLEA DEAL

Steve Dingle was arrested immediately after he recovered from his injuries. He was charged with second-degree homicide.

Despite his attempts to claim temporary insanity, the prosecution built a strong case of premeditation, supported by the CCTV footage of him purchasing the weapon and his history of threats against Kathy.

Faced with overwhelming evidence and the possibility of a life sentence without parole, Steve accepted a plea deal in August 2012.

He pleaded guilty to the second-degree homicide charge. He was sentenced to life imprisonment but was granted the possibility of parole after serving a minimum of 15 years.

The tragic passing of Kathy Dingle, a hardworking mother whose life was taken by the man she tried to protect, highlighted the devastating consequences of jealousy, domestic abuse, and financial strain.

Her four children were ultimately placed in the custody of relatives or the foster care system in Washington, far from the site of the tragedy.