Police are continuing to investigate the death of a 33-year-old California man who was allegedly caught stealing two cases of beer from an ABC store at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort & Spa.

Humberto Murillo, 33, of San Fernando, Calif., died after a struggle with the store manager and a 20-year-old tourist who came to the manager's aid.

His death on the second floor shopping area of the hotel Monday night rattled the dozens of tourists and shop employees nearby.

"It's sad," said Eilene Kim, a sales associate who works at a purse and luggage store on the second floor of the hotel. "For two cases of beer, it's not worth a person's life."

Police said Murillo allegedly went into the ABC store in the hotel about 9 p.m. Monday and left with two "cold packs" of beer, walking past a cashier who asked him for a receipt. She alerted the store manager.

After Murillo left the store, the store manager caught up with him and again asked him for a receipt.

Police said at that point, Murillo began assaulting the 29-year-old manager, who called out for help.

Witnesses told police the man with the beer struck the store manager in the face with one of the cold packs and was "pummeling him," Honolulu police homicide Lt. William Kato said.

The 20-year-old man, who officials identified as a tourist, moved in to help the manager and subdued Murillo.

Murillo continued to struggle and the 20-year-old said he would let Murillo go if Murillo stopped resisting. Murillo said he would "kill him (the 20-year-old) if he got free," according to police.

Hotel security officers arrived moments later, by which time Murillo had lost consciousness, police and Hyatt officials said.

Hyatt General Manager David Lewin said hotel security guards administered cardio-pulmonary resuscitation once they got to the scene until paramedics arrived and took Murillo to the hospital in critical condition.

Murillo was pronounced dead a short time later.

ACCOUNTS DIFFER

An autopsy yesterday showed Murillo had no injuries to suggest he was beaten, Kato said.

The autopsy didn't determine the cause of death, however, and officials said more tests — including toxicology reports — are being sought.

Witness accounts on the altercation vary.

Kato said some witnesses reported seeing Murillo responsive when he was on the ground, while others said he was not moving.

Murillo was not a registered guest at the Hyatt, Lewin said.

Lewin also said that the 20-year-old was not a registered guest, though police said he was staying at the hotel.

Shop owners and sales associates at the Hyatt said the altercation generated a big crowd of tourists and employees. Dozens of people crowded around to see what had gone wrong, they said.

Many of the shops at the Hyatt stay open until 10 p.m., as foot traffic from Kalakaua Avenue often brings people in. Sales associates say the hotel was seeing steady traffic on Monday night when the altercation happened.

Kim, the sales associate on the second floor, said the incident has scared her a little because it happened so close to her shop.

Ellen Poon, who owns two stores at the Hyatt, said she's more sad than scared. She said she didn't see the man being tackled, but believes Murillo died because of a series of unfortunate circumstances.

"It's just unfortunate that it ended up this way," she said, adding she also feels sorry for the ABC store manager. "He was just doing his job," she said.