Missing Big Island person investigated for murder-suicide

HONOLULU (KHON2) — The case of a missing person on the Big Island is currently being investigated as a murder-suicide, according to Big Island police.

Authorities said the 38-year-old Keaau woman was reported missing May 21 by her boyfriend and was not seen for about a week.

The case came to a head shortly before 4 p.m. on May 23, when police executed a search warrant at a home in Keaau.

When members of the Area I Criminal Investigation Division identified themselves, a loud “pop,” which sounded like a gunshot, was heard inside the home.

HPD said the Special Crisis Response and Negotiation Teams were activated due to the assumption that someone was armed and barricaded.

Officers entered the residence and found a male deceased with a gunshot wound to the head.

During a final autopsy, the body was positively identified as that of the missing person's boyfriend, a 38-year-old Keaau man.

After securing the scene, police found information that led them to search for the missing woman's body in a vacant, undeveloped lot.

On May 23, HPD said police discovered the body in an advanced stage of decomposition and recovered the remains the next morning, May 24.

A medical examiner performed an autopsy on the remains on May 31 and concluded that the woman died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

Police ruled the death a homicide and later identified the body as that of the missing 38-year-old Keaau woman.

Anyone who may have information about the case is asked to call Big Island police at (808) 961-2381 or call Crime Stoppers Islandwide at (808) 961-8300 to remain anonymous .