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A 51-year-old Maui resident who says she was stalked and abused by her ex-boyfriend is scheduled to stand trial in Wisconsin over his killing. Read more

A 51-year-old Maui resident who says she was stalked and abused by her ex-boyfriend is scheduled to stand trial in Wisconsin over his killing.

Donna R. Matthews has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the shooting death of Michael Gayan in Kenosha, Wis., in July.

Matthews was arrested in Seattle in early August and extradited to Wisconsin. Her brother, Derrick Matthews, who allegedly provided her with the gun that killed Gayan, is charged with being a party to the homicide.

The Wisconsin Circuit Court trial of the two, who both pleaded not guilty, has been tentatively scheduled for Feb. 28.

Her bail was set at $1 million, and Derrick Matthews’ bail at $500,000.

When Donna Matthews moved from Wisconsin to Maui, Gayan followed her and allegedly stalked her at work and home.

According to Maui Family Court records, Matthews said she had been in a romantic relationship with Gayan for six years. She said that from January 2008 through March 2016, she moved repeatedly in order to get away from him, but Gayan followed her.

“Michael has threatened to kill my family if I ever leave him, and he has stolen all personal items that are dear to me,” she said in filing for a temporary restraining order on Maui on March 14. “He has blackmailed me with photos of myself, saying that he will send them to my family if I do not stay with him. Michael has also tried to restrain me on numerous occasions by holding me tightly around my body and blocking the door making it impossible to leave.”

Maui Family Court Judge Lloyd A. Poelman issued a temporary restraining order against Gayan on March 14, banning him from Matthews’ place of work in Lahaina.

The restraining order, effective for six months, also ordered Gayan to stay away from Matthews and at least 100 yards away from where she was living in Honokowai.

The restraining order was later extended to March 2021 and gave Gayan until March 30 to participate in an anger management program. Court records show a warrant was issued July 27 by Tanaka for Gayan’s arrest, based on his failure to comply.

Gayan at some point went back to Wisconsin.

According to prosecutors, Matthews told her brother that Gayan had bought a plane ticket for her for a flight to Wisconsin on July 5, but she instead flew into Chicago from Hawaii on July 4 and took a bus to Kenosha. She then got the gun from her brother, prosecutor say.

Derrick Matthews told investigators he knew his sister was going to kill Gayan because of his repeated threats, and that this was “a life or death situation for her.”

The Wisconsin District Attorney’s Office alleges that Donna Matthews sneaked into Gayan’s home, where she waited for him and shot him July 4.

Gayan’s body was found July 26.