Joseph Amormino

Media Release (update)

Big Island police have charged a 72-year-old Puna man in connection with a shooting Sunday evening (May 13) at a home in Panaʻewa.

Joseph Amormino of Hawaiian Beaches was charged at 3:23 p.m. Tuesday (May 15) with first-degree attempted murder, two counts of second-degree attempted murder, burglary, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, place to keep ammunition, and two counts of place to keep firearms.

He was also charged with three counts of terroristic threatening for an unrelated incident that occurred about twenty minutes before the shooting. In that case, Amormino allegedly waved a handgun at a 52-year-old Mountain View woman, a 48-year-old Mountain View man and a 14-year-old Mountain View girl after reportedly tailgating their vehicle on Highway 130 near the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision.

Amormino’s bail was set at $656,000. He remains at the Hilo police cellblock pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Wednesday (May 16).

Daniel DeJarnette

Media Release

A Kaʻū man was arrested Monday, after a Grand Jury indicted him for murder in the 2006 death of his wife.

Daniel DeJarnette, 59, of Ocean View is charged with second-degree murder for the November 12, 2006, death of 56-year-old Yu DeJarnette.

On that date, Kaʻū patrol officers responded to the DeJarnette home in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates to a reported home accident. Yu DeJarnette had reportedly been found by her husband lying on a lava embankment near their house.

Based on a preliminary investigation by patrol officers, detectives were summoned and conducted a more thorough investigation.

An autopsy conducted on the victim indicated that she died from extensive head injuries. The case was reclassified from a home accident to a murder.

On November 14, 2006, detectives arrested Daniel DeJarnette on suspicion of murder and held him in custody pending further investigation. After consulting with county prosecutors, he was released on November 16, 2006 pending additional investigation.

This Monday (May 14), a Kona Grand Jury indicted DeJarnette on one count of second-degree murder. His bail was set at $200,000. Police arrested him at his Ocean View home at 4:55 p.m. Monday and held him at the Kona police cellblock until his initial court appearance on Tuesday (May 15).

Cathrine Kessaris

Media Release

A Puna woman was arrested last week and held on $1 million bail after being charged with heroin and weapons offenses.

On Thursday (May 10), Vice officers served a narcotics search warrant on a Melekule Street home in the Orchidland subdivision, where they recovered approximately a pound of heroin, digital scales, packaging materials, two firearms and $5,200 in cash.

Officers arrested two women at the scene. Cathrine R. Kessaris, 58, of Orchidland was held at the Hilo police cellblock while detectives continued the investigation. A 52-year-old Keaʻau woman was released without charges.

On Friday, Kessaris was charged with promoting a dangerous drug, drug paraphernalia and ownership prohibited. Her bail was set at $1 million. She remained at the Hilo cellblock pending her initial court appearance on Monday (May 14).

Media Release

During the week of May 7, 2012, through May 13, 2012, Big Island police arrested 24 motorists for drunk driving. Four of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes. Three were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 526 DUI arrests compared with 541 during the same period last year, a decrease of 2.8 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

There have been 544 major accidents so far this year compared with 520 during the same period last year, an increase of 4.6 percent.

So far this year, there were 14 traffic fatalities on the Big Island compared with eight during the same period last year, an increase of 75 percent.

To date, five fatalities were related to drugs (4), alcohol (1), or a combination of both (0).

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.

Brannon Ramirez

Media Release

Big Island police have located, arrested and charged 27-year-old Brannon Ramirez of Hawaiian Beaches, who was wanted in connection with a stabbing, a beer bottle incident and a domestic argument in Puna on Friday.

Ramirez turned himself in at the Pāhoa police station at 5:42 p.m. Saturday (May 12). He was held at the Hilo police cellblock while detectives continued the investigation.

At 2:48 p.m. Monday (May 14), detectives charged him with first-degree assault, first-degree criminal property damage and two counts of third-degree assault. His bail was set at $11,000.

He is being held at the Hilo police cellblock pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Tuesday (May 15).

Hawaiʻi Police Department
Office of the Chief
Harry S. Kubojiri
Phone: 961-2244

Ronald "Shige" Jitchaku

Kenneth Keliipio

William "Red" Oili

Manuel Cadinha

Media Release

Members of the  Hawaiʻi Police Department and the public celebrated Police Week on Monday (May 14) at the Hilo police station.

A 21-gun salute, “Taps” and a candle-lighting ceremony were part of the tribute to the four Hawaiʻi Police Department officers killed in the line of duty since 1918. They are Manuel Cadinha (1918), William “Red” Oili (1936), Ronald “Shige” Jitchaku (1990), and Kenneth Keliipio (1997).

In an outdoor ceremony, Hawaiʻi County Managing Director William Takaba read a mayoral proclamation declaring May 13-18 as Police Week in the County of Hawaiʻi and May 15 as Police Officers Memorial Day.

Chief Harry Kubojiri told the audience that Police Week ceremonies are taking place this week at police departments all across America—including one in the nation’s capital attended by approximately 25,000 law enforcement officers. “In size, that event is more massive than ours,” Kubojiri said, “but in sentiment, ours is equally grand.”

The chief noted that he never knew Officers Cadinha and Oili, but said both Jitchaku and Keliipio were his co-workers who laughed with him one day and were gone the next. “I still miss them and I know many of you do, too,” he said. “We can only begin to imagine the loss their families still feel.”

The chief added that Police Week also honors officers injured in the line of duty, noting that 61 Big Island officers were hurt on the job last year. He thanked his officers for working to make the Big Island communities safe and said he prays that each one returns home safely to their loved ones at the end of each workday.

A similar ceremony will be held Thursday (May 17) in Kona.

Missing: Munirah Mokihana Dewan-Fabian

Media Release

Big Island police are searching for a 16-year-old girl reported as missing from Puna since March 21.

Munirah Mokihana Dewan-Fabian is described as 5-foot-5, about 110 pounds with long black hair and brown eyes.

Police ask that anyone with information on her whereabouts call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311. Tipsters 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.

Media Release

The Hawaiʻi Police department’s Traffic Services Section and the Hawai‘i Isle Police Activities League (HI-PAL) are sponsoring their annual “Click It or Ticket” 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

The events will take place on the following dates at the locations listed below:

• June 15-16: Keaʻau High School, Keaʻau (tentative)
• June 22-24: the old Pāhoa High gymnasium, Pāhoa
• June 29-July 1:  Kekuaokalani Gymnasium, Kailua-Kona
• July 14:  Kamehameha Park gymnasium, Kohala
• July 20-22:  Papaʻaloa Gymnasium, Laupāhoehoe
• August 10-12:  the new covered sports building, Panaʻewa
• August 24-26:  Honoka‘a Sports Complex gymnasium, Honoka‘a
• September 8: the Naʻalehu gymnasium in Ka‘ū (tentative)

The Keaʻau and Ka‘ū dates are still being confirmed. All other dates and locations have been confirmed, and preparations are progressing to make each event successful.

Team entries are being accepted in the following age groups: 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, high school boys, girls 10 & under, girls 12 and under, girls 14 & under and high school girls. The age cutoff date is December 31, 2012.

A player may play in only one division during this tournament.

Each division will be limited to the first 10 teams. (Organizations wishing to enter multiple teams are asked to enter one at a time and as space becomes available, additional teams can be entered). Each team will be required to complete a registration packet prior to the tournament. Completed packets must be turned in two weeks prior to each scheduled event date.

Completed packets should be dropped off at the Hilo police station’s Community Policing office (the former Receiving Desk on the first floor) or at the Kona police station’s Receiving Desk.

The high school division boys and girls games will be played and completed on the scheduled Friday nights. During those scheduled dates, activities about child restraint and seat belt usage and DUI education will be available at the various gyms.

Teams interested in participating or anyone requesting additional information may call Officer Joseph Botelho Jr. in East Hawaiʻi at 961-2220 or Officer Randy Morris in West Hawaiʻi at 326-4646, extension 258.

“The Hawaiʻi Police Department is excited about again bringing the ‘Click It or Ticket’ message to eight different district communities on the island,” Botelho said. “Last year’s success has allowed us to continue this type of venture island wide.”

“Click It or Ticket” is a national educational and enforcement campaign to increase seat belt usage and decrease traffic fatalities and injuries.

Media Release

Big Island police have arrested a Puna man for attempted murder in connection with a shooting that occurred Sunday evening (May 13).

The suspect is identified as 72-year-old Joseph Amormino of Hawaiian Beaches.

Hilo Patrol officers responded to a 5:27 p.m. call Sunday of several shots being fired from a residence in Panaʻewa. Upon arrival, officers found the victim,  a 55-year-old Hilo woman, with gunshot wounds. Investigation reveal that the suspect had shot the victim, and fired at another person within the residence. The suspect was arrested at the scene.

Fire/Rescue personnel transported the victim to Hilo Medical Center, where she was treated for her injuries. She remains confined to the hospital in stable condition.

Police ask that anyone with any information about this incident call Detective Wendall Carter at 961-2378.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

Brannon Ramirez

Media Release

Big Island police are asking for the public’s help in locating a Puna man wanted in connection with a stabbing Friday morning.

The incident began with a domestic dispute at a convenience store on Kahakai Boulevard in Hawaiian Beaches between a 31-year-old Hawaiian Beaches woman and a 27-year-old Hawaiian Beaches man. During the argument, the man allegedly threw a beer bottle—which hit a 19-year-old man in a parked van—and then left the area.

A short time later, the mother of the man hit by the bottle and a relative—a 37-year-old Mountain View man—got into a confrontation with the couple from the original domestic argument on South Puni Mauka Loop near Aweoweo Street.

During the confrontation, the Mountain View man received lacerations to the chest, back, face and upper arms. He was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where he is listed in stable condition.

Police have classified the incident as a first-degree assault and a third-degree assault. They are looking for 27-year-old Brannon Ramirez of Hawaiian Beaches, who also goes by the name “Listo.” He is described as 5-foot-11, 190 pounds with blue eyes, a muscular build, a shaved head and a partial goatee. He has several tattoos, including one with the word “Compton” on his abdomen and another with the numbers “155″ on his chest.

Police caution the public not to approach him, but instead, to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 if they see him or know his whereabouts, or contact Detective Norbert Serrao by phone at 961-2383 or by email at nserrao@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.