Hawaii Island police have opened in a murder investigation in connection with the 2013 death of a 38-year-old Pahoa man.
Hawaii Island police have opened in a murder investigation in connection with the 2013 death of a 38-year-old Pahoa man.
The case, which was initially classified as a coroner’s inquest, has been reclassified to a second-degree murder, police said Thursday. Police have identified a suspect but no one has been arrested in connection with the death of Shayne Yoshi Kalani Kobayashi.
On Jan. 18, 2013, police discovered a badly decomposed body off the “ATV Trail Park” near Stainback Highway in Hilo. The body was identified Jan. 24 via dental records as Kobayashi, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
Kobayashi had last been seen at his Pahoa home on Dec. 11, 2012.
In a Jan. 24, 2013, media release police said investigators believed foul play was involved, however, they were awaiting additional pathology and toxicology findings to determine the exact cause of death.
The case has been routed to the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for review.