Hawaii Island police are asking the public’s help locating the 22-year-old former boyfriend of a 25-year-old woman whose body was found May 28 in waters off the Kalapana coast.
Hawaii Island police are asking the public’s help locating the 22-year-old former boyfriend of a 25-year-old woman whose body was found May 28 in waters off the Kalapana coast.
The Hawaii Police Department on Wednesday identified Boaz David Johnson as the suspect in the murder of Brittany Jane Royal. The determination came after police completed additional follow-up work in the investigation.
Johnson may still be on the island, according to police, who consider him dangerous. He is described as Caucasian, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing about 150 pounds with a slim build and a fair complexion. He was last seen unshaven and with medium-length brown hair. He also has a tattoo of a upper body of a horse near the right side of his abdomen.
Shortly before 6:30 a.m. May 28 police received a report that a body was caught in a fishing line from a boat off the Kalapana coast. With the assistance of a Hawaii Fire Department helicopter, the body was retrieved from the ocean and taken to a nearby landing zone, where detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section responded and continued the investigation.
The body was identified through fingerprints as Royal. The medical examiner ruled that she died as the result of strangulation, according to police.
Detectives continue to actively pursue leads in this investigation. Anyone with information on Johnson’s whereabouts should call Detective Robert Almeida at 961-2386 or ralmeida@co.hawaii.hi.us, Detective Fetuutuunai Amuimuia at 961-2278 or famuimuia@co.hawaii.hi.us, or Lt. Gregory Esteban at 961-2252 or gesteban@hawaiicounty.gov.
Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 329-8181 in Kona or 961-8300 in Hilo. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.