HAWAII POLICE DEPARTMENT
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION SECTION
ACTING LIEUTENANT RICHARD SHERLOCK
PHONE: 961-2379 
JUNE 13, 2007

MEDIA RELEASE

Hilo Police have filed charges this morning against a 38-year old Pahoa man related to an incident that occurred in the Ainaloa Subdivision in Puna.

Tyrone VESPERAS was charged for the offenses of Murder in the Second Degree, Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Attempted Murder in the First Degree, and Deadly Weapons. VESPERAS as of this morning, June 13, 2007, was being held at the Hilo Police Station without bail pending arraignment.

Under Hawaii Revised Statutes, A person commits the offense of murder in the first degree if the person intentionally or knowingly causes the death of more than one person in that same or separate incident.

Puna Patrol Officers responded on June 11, 2007, to an 11:30 a.m. "911" call from a person who stated he had been stabbed at a residence in the Ainaloa Subdivision.

Upon arrival, Patrol Officers found Tyrone VESPERAS within the garage of the residence and the lifeless body of Tyran VESPERAS-SAINIATAN, M-14, of Hilo, within the residence.

Tyrone VESPERAS was immediately taken into custody by Puna Patrol Officers.

A second 911 call was received from Cheryl-Lyn VESPERAS , F-34 of Hilo, who had reported being stabbed in the abdomen by her husband and had fled the residence in her vehicle. Cheri-Lyn VESPERAS was located by Puna Patrol Units parked on the side of Highway 11 at the 6 mile area in Keaau.

Cheri-Lyn VESPERAS at the time of the stabbing was in the later stages of a pregnancy. The unborn child did not survive the assault. Cheri-Lyn VESPERAS is currently at the Hilo Medical Center in stable condition.

Police investigation reveals that Tyrone VESPERAS and Cheryl-Lyn VESPERAS, while at the residence in Ainaloa, were involved in a verbal dispute that quickly escalated into a physical confrontation which resulted in Cheryl-Lyn being stabbed in the abdomen multiple times.

Tyran VESPERAS-SANIATAN attempted to restrain Tyrone VESPERAS enabling Cheryl-Lyn to flee the residence. At some point later during this struggle, Tyran received a wound to his neck area.

An autopsy performed on the victim at the Hilo Medical Center on June 13, 2007, determined the preliminary cause of death as being "incised wound to the left neck and injury to left jugular vein".

Police ask anyone with any further information about the case to call Detective Ian LEE LOY of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at 961-2381 or the Police Department’s non-emergency number at 935-3311. Tipster’s who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

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