Santa Cruz Lawyer Begged For Help Prior to Death

The person who Celestial Cassman begged for help didn't have a cell phone

We are learning new and disturbing details about the death of a prominent lawyer from Santa Cruz who died during a vacation in Hawaii one week ago.

The police report, which was obtained by KSBW in Salinas, explains that Celestial Cassman made a desperate attempt to get a stranger to help her in the final moments of her life.

Read 51-page report at this link (warning graphic details).

That witness  told police that a woman wearing only a bathing suit came up to her car and begged for help.  She said that woman's boyfriend then came up from behind and dragged Cassman away telling the driver that "Everything is fine."

According to the police report, this happened as the witness was driving home from work.

She said she put her car in reverse and pulled over in an attempt to help Cassman. She said at one point Cassman threw her a set of keys while attempting to kick herself free from her attacker.  This woman was clearly willing to help, but did not have a cell phone.
 
"The male then began lifting the female up and slamming her body on the asphalt roadway," according to the witness.

Then he dragged Cassman across some volcanic rocks towards a cliff telling the witness to "just leave," according to police.

The witness said she did not leave and continued to yell at the man to stop.

After awhile the witness said she decided she had to go and get help. She drove up the road and found another couple watching the sunset and used their cell phone to call 911.

When police arrived at the original scene they said they found Gerald Galaway naked from the waist down, wearing only a blue T-shirt. They said he flung himself over a cliff, landing in rough ocean surf 100 feet below. Galaway survived, but remains in a Hawaii hospital.

It took investigators more than an hour to find Cassman's body among the black volcanic rocks at the base of a cliff.

KSBW reports that Galaway worked with disabled children in Aptos. His employer said Galaway's background check conducted four months ago was clean, and he never showed signs of hostility or anger toward children.

Galaway's neighbors told KSBW they have heard him in the past yelling at Cassman at times while she visited.

Maui District Attorney John Kim said he plans to charge Galaway with second-degree murder and kidnapping.

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