Police plan to question a man who is in critical condition in a hospital in connection with the stabbing death of his wife at the couple's Kalihi home yesterday, according to police and family members.

Police yesterday did not release the names of the people involved, but the woman was identified by a niece as Liwliwa Barayuga, 63. She lived with her husband, Victorio Barayuga, 62, in the downstairs portion of a house in the 1800 block of 'Akina Street, said the woman's niece, Ligaya Galvez.

The husband was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in critical but stable condition after he tried to take his life by slashing his wrist, police said.

The Barayugas lived with Liwliwa Barayuga's brother Hipolito M. Saoit Sr., according to their niece.

"We don't really know what happened. Both of them are nice people," said Galvez, 31, who is the daughter of Pablo Saoit, another of Liwliwa Barayuga's brothers. "We don't know what they did (in that house)."

Liwliwa Barayuga is survived by her daughter Mari Lou; three sons in the Philippines; brothers Hipolito Sr., Pablo, Francisco and Placido; and sisters Bibiyana and Leticia.

Barayuga's death is the 13th homicide in Honolulu so far this year, compared to 18 for all of last year, 15 in 2005 and 26 in 2004. Violent crime increased 5.9 percent in Honolulu last year, according to preliminary 2006 statistics released by the FBI.

Honolulu police homicide Lt. William Kato yesterday said police are working to determine what happened at the Barayuga home. Knives were recovered at the scene and police were not looking for other suspects.

Liwliwa Barayuga suffered multiple stab wounds to her upper torso, most likely from a kitchen knife found near her body, police said.

"No one heard an argument or a confrontation prior to the incident," Kato said.

A person living upstairs found a woman in her bedroom and called for an ambulance at 11:23 a.m., said Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the city Emergency Services Department.

The woman was declared dead at 12:06 p.m., Cheplic said.

The stabbing shocked neighbors and relatives of the couple who live on the small Kalihi street. Police closed 'Akina Street for more than three hours yesterday as they investigated.

Pablo Bonilla, a 69-year-old restaurant worker who said he is Liwliwa Barayuga's cousin, said she had lived in the house since at least 1986.

He said the couple kept to themselves but described them as friendly.

"I don't know what happened. I just saw them," said Bonilla.

Lorenzo Rabang, who owns the house next door to the Barayugas, said violence is not common in the area. He said he has known the couple since he bought his house on Mokauea Street in 2001.

"My daughter called and said, 'Daddy, go to the house; something has happened,' " said Rabang, as he sat on a bike across the street from the murder scene. "They are nice neighbors."

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.