Hawaiʻi Police Department
Criminal Investigation Section, Area I
Lieutenant Rio S. Amon-Wilkins
Phone: (808) 961-2252
Report No.: 20-083446
Media Release
Hawaiʻi Island Police have charged 41-year-old Davi Franklin Alvarez Sr., of Hilo, with murder, for the stabbing death of a female acquaintance on Halloween.
The victim has been identified as 39-year-old Noelle Keala Tamiko Buffett, of Hilo.
After conferring with County Prosecutors, at 1:00 p.m. this afternoon (November 2), detectives charged Alvarez with second-degree murder.
Alvarez is being held in lieu of $1 million bail pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Wednesday (November 4) in Hilo District Court.
The charge stems from an incident that occurred on Saturday afternoon (October 31), at the Val Hala Apartment Complex located on Puueo Street in Hilo. Shortly after 1:00 p.m., South Hilo Patrol officers responded to the complex for a report of a female who had been stabbed within her apartment.
Police located the victim’s lifeless body within her apartment’s bedroom. During the course of the investigation, police were able to identify Alvarez as a suspect; witnesses reported to police that he had left the area prior to police arrival.
Detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigation Section responded to the scene to continue the investigation.
Extensive area checks were conducted for Alvarez, and at approximately 3:35 p.m., he was located walking on Kapiolani Street in Hilo, where he was arrested without incident.
An autopsy was performed this morning (November 2) and concluded that Buffett died as a result of a stab wound to the chest, and the manner of death was ruled homicide.
Police are asking anyone with information on this incident to contact the Police Department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or Detective John Balberde at (808) 961-2386 or email him at John.Balberde@hawaiicounty.gov.