HONOLULU -- Opening arguments began Friday in the trial of a son accused of fatally stabbing his stepfather before setting his Ewa Beach home on fire.

Timothy Adarna was 19 when he was arrested in connection with the death of Robert Ramos in November 2006. Ramos's body was found in the rubble of the family's burned-down home.

In court, the state's attorney on Friday got straight to the point.

"He killed Bob. He burned the house; no Bob, no rule, no house, no problem," prosecutor Kevin Dekata said.

The state claimed Adarna killed Ramos and then set the family's home on fire because he was tired of following house rules.

The day Ramos died, the father and stepson were arguing over Adarna breaking the rules.

"He is not guilty because in this terrible, terrible event… because when the confrontation started, it started as self defense," defense attorney David Hayakawa said.

The verbal fight escalated.

Adarna had a knife and Ramos was waving an ax pick in the air, the defense said.

"A struggle takes place and Tim just remembers seeing his eyes and his eyes so big," Hayakawa said. "Next thing he knows he is lying on the ground on top of Robert looking into Robert's face and there is blood everywhere."

Adarna's attorney said he plans to argue a number of tragic experiences in his client's life led to an emotional explosion, including the death of his brother.

"On that morning, it's Nov. 16, 2006, that damn hole in the back burst and out rushed that emotion," Hayakawa said.

The state said evidence taken from Adarna's knife is a perfect match and witnesses saw him fleeing from the home.

"They attained DNA from that knife blade. The blood from that knife blade, yes that was Bob's blood," Dekata said.

The trial continues Monday.