Hawaii Island Police Find Body of Missing Woman

Hawaii Island Police said officers discovered a set of human remains Friday “believed to be related to an active investigation into the disappearance of a 37-year-old Puna woman.”

The body, which police said was “in an advanced stage of decomposition,” was found in a vacant, undeveloped property in the 16-200 block of 36th Avenue in the Orchidland Estates subdivision in Keaau. Police recovered the human remains around 9:40 a.m. Friday.

Information leading to the discovery of the remains was obtained during an investigation Thursday at a residence in the 15-2000 block of 15th Avenue in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision, where police executed a search warrant and found the body of a man who they say appears to have committed suicide.

A firearm was also found in the home.

The police report number, which was the same in two police department press releases – one for the search on 15th Avenue and another for the body found on 36th Avenue – matches a press release previous requesting information on Ashley Kuregian, who was last seen alive. on May 14.

The Hawaiian Paradise Park residence was also the last place Kuregian was seen alive, according to police.

Police are withholding the man's identity pending positive identification and notification of next of kin. They said an autopsy on his body would be carried out next week.

An autopsy on the woman's remains was performed Friday afternoon, and the medical examiner deferred the cause and manner of death pending further examination and forensic testing.

Police did not identify the woman's body as Kuregian's, saying the identity of the deceased “is being withheld pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.”

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the police department's non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311. Those who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.