A body found in early January has been identified as belonging to a 34-year-old Puna man last seen at a friend’s home on Dec. 23.
Big Island police on Tuesday said a body found Jan. 5 buried in a shallow grave in Puna was identified using dental records as Andrew Cawley. Cawley was last seen at a friend’s residence in Aloha Estates in Mountain View on the morning of Dec. 23. He was reported missing by his father.
The case is currently being investigated as a second-degree murder. Police previously said it appeared the body had been there about two weeks and that victim died of a gunshot wound to the torso.
Anyone with information relative to this investigation should call the department’s nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311, or contact Detective Jeremy Kubojiri of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2378 or via email to jeremy.kubojiri@hawaiicounty.gov or Lt. Rio Amon-Wilkins of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2252 or email to rio.amon-wilkins@hawaiicounty.gov.