KAILUA-KONA — Following receipt of grand jury indictments related to those who assisted Justin Waiki while he was on the run after fatally shooting Officer Bronson Kaliloa on July 17, Hawaii Island police have served bench warrants on individuals who are alleged to have assisted the suspected cop killer.
Beginning Tuesday, officers began picking up six of seven targets of the indictment. West Hawaii Today reported on the unsealed indictment Tuesday.
Kiel Brende, Taumi Carr and Mokihana Veincent were named in the indictment and have since been taken into custody, Police said today.
Also named in the indictment were Malia Lajala, Jorge Pagan-Torres and Krystle Ferreira. They were already in custody as they were with Waiki the day he shot at police on South Point Road, which resulted in his death. They are currently being held at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
The seventh person named in the indictment, Jamie Jason, remains hospitalized and has not yet been taken into custody.
Additionally, detectives, are still continuing the investigation into all individuals who may have provided assistance to Waiki while on the run, are looking for two more individuals to speak with. Sought are 53-year-old Roseanne M. Leong, of Puna and 32-year-old Robert “Robbie” Brigoli of Waimea ( known to frequent the Puna area).
The first arrested this week was 33-year-old Brende who fled to Washington state several weeks ago. He was arrested with the assistance of U.S. Marshals, the FBI and local law enforcement officers. Carr, 35, and Veincent, 24, were taken into custody by local authorities.
Brende, Carr, and Veincent were charged with first-degree hindering prosecution and conspiracy. Veincent was also charged with two counts of accomplice to ownership/possession, (of a firearm), prohibited. Bail for each of these three defendants has been set at $500,000.
Ferreira, Pagan-Torres, and Lajala were each charged with being accomplices to attempted first-degree murder and place to keep (a firearm), conspiracy to commit first-degree hindering prosecution and first-degree hindering prosecution. Lajala was also charged with third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug. Bail for this trio was set at $1 million.
Brende has waived extradition and will be brought back to Hawaii to face his charges. Carr and Veincent are being held at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
Police continue to ask that anyone who had contact with Justin Waiki between the time of the shooting on July 17 at 9:47 p.m., and his apprehension on July 20, at 2:45 p.m. or knows someone who had contact with him, to contact Detective William Brown of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at 961-2384 or William.brown@hawaiicounty.gov.
