The Hawai'i Intermediate Court of Appeals yesterday ordered a new trial for a man convicted of murdering 82-year-old Dr. Edward Bird on Maui eight years ago.

The appellate court concluded that Michael Arlo Pavich, convicted of second-degree murder, first-degree burglary, kidnapping and first-degree robbery, was entitled to funds that were denied him for a post-trial peer review to evaluate a supplemental report of DNA evidence presented by the state at trial.

The court ordered a new trial after the peer review is concluded.

Pavich, now 37 years old, was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole plus consecutive terms of imprisonment totaling 30 years.

Bird was found dead in the bedroom of his Kihei apartment on Dec. 3, 2000. Cause of death was determined to be strangulation.