Honokaa Information Update for April 28th, 2020

Hawaii Police Department (HPD) is conducting a death investigation after the discovery of a body Monday afternoon (April 27) outside of Honokaʻa.

Hawaiʻi Police Department Criminal Investigation Section, Area I Lieutenant Rio Amon-Wilkins Phone: (808) 961-2252 Report no.: 20-032803 Hawaiʻi Island Police are conducting a death investigation after the discovery of a body Monday afternoon (April 27) outside of Honokaʻa.

The body was discovered by local hunters in the Nienie forest area located off of Highway 240.

Shortly before 5:00 p.m. Monday, two men walked into the Honokaʻa Police Station. They reported to officers that while hunting, they discovered a decomposed body in the forest just outside of town. Police were then escorted to the scene, where they located the body, which was in an advanced stage of decomposition. It appeared the body had been there, near a campsite, for several months. 

Police detectives with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section responded to the scene and are continuing this investigation, which is currently classified as a Coroner’s Inquest.

The victim was transported to the Hilo Medical Center, where the official pronouncement of death was made at 11:30 p.m. An autopsy will be performed later this week to determine the exact cause of death; however, foul play is not suspected.

The identity of the victim is being withheld pending identification and notification of next of kin.   

Police ask anyone who may have information relative to this investigation to please contact Detective Blaine Morishita at (808) 961-2385 or email Blaine.Morishita@hawaiicounty.gov or Lieutenant Rio Amon-Wilkins at (808) 961-2252 or email Rio.Amon-Wilkins@hawaiicounty.gov or the police department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.