Hawaiʻi Police Department
Criminal Investigation Section
Acting Lieutenant Todd Pataray
Phone: 961-2382
Report No. 18-019460
Media Release
Hawaiʻi Island police are investigating a fatal structure fire that occurred in Puna early Friday morning (November 23).
Police and fire units were dispatched to the scene at 1:21 a.m. for a reported structure fire at a home on Ainaloa Drive in Pāhoa. Responding units found a small detached studio fully engulfed in flames. After firefighters extinguished the fire, a body was discovered in the remnants of the dwelling.
The identity of the victim and cause of the fire are still under investigation. This is currently classified as a fire and an unattended death investigation being conducted by the Criminal Investigation Section.
An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Jesse Kerr at (808) 961-2379 or at jesse.kerr@hawaiicounty.gov.
