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Posted: Monday, December 7th, 2009 4:40 AM HST

Hawaii authorities up sentence of wife-burning man

By Associated Press

LIHUE, Hawaii (AP) — A 58-year-old Kauai man sentenced to life in prison in 2001 for killing his wife by setting her on fire has had the minimum amount of time he must serve before he can request parole doubled to 120 years. The Garden Island Newspaper reported Saturday that a legal wrinkle allowed Gregory Aguiar to request that the minimum he must serve be changed. He was warned that the minimum might be increased but insisted on going ahead with a parole board hearing anyway. Paroling Authority Division Administrator Max Otani says that, based on the nature of the offense and degree of loss, the minimum was increased from 60 to 120 years after the hearing. Miu Lan Esposo-Aguiar died in 2000, three weeks after she was doused in cleaning fluid and set aflame during a domestic quarrel at the couple's home. Aguiar was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after pleading no contest to second-degree murder. Otani says Aguiar will have to serve at least 40 years before he can request another parole hearing, unless health issues become a factor. (Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved)