Hawai‘i Police Department
Area II Criminal Investigation Section
Detective Donovan Kohara
Phone: (808) 960-3118
Report No.: 24-039683
Media Release
Hawai’i Island police have arrested and charged 50-year-old Ian Benjamin Winther, of Ocean View, with various offenses following a violent incident that occurred at a residence on King Kalakaua Lane in the Hawaii Ocean View Estates Subdivision on Monday, April, 29, 2024.
On April 29, 2024 at approximately 4:35 p.m., Kau Patrol officers responded to the area of King Kalakaua Lane for a report of a female who had been assaulted by an acquaintance. Upon their arrival it was determined that the victim, a 27-year old Ocean View woman, had been bound with duct tape and physically assaulted by Winther at a residence on King Kalakaua Lane where she and Winther were staying at. The victim reported that after being bound with duct tape, Winther allowed her to free herself from the tape but continued to physically assault her and threatened to conduct lewd sexual acts on her. Winther then used rope to tie the victim to a chair in the house and threatened her while he continued to physically assault her. Winther then left the residence leaving the victim still tied to the chair. The victim was able to free herself from the chair and leave the residence to summon help at a neighboring residence. The victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries and sought medical treatment on her own.
On Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at 6:28 a.m., while officers were at the scene of the incident awaiting Detectives to obtain a search warrant, they observed Winther to be walking towards officers. Winther was taken into custody while Detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigation Section and the Juvenile Aid Section continued the investigation into the incident.
On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, a search warrant was executed upon the residence that the incident occurred at resulting in the recovery of items believed to be used in the incident.
On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 3:00 p.m., after conferring with the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Winther was charged with one count each of kidnapping, abuse of a family/household member, assault in the third degree, and terroristic threatening in the first degree. His bail was set at $143,000
Winther is being held at the Kealakehe Police Station pending his initial court appearance in Kona District court on Thursday, May 2, 2024.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Donovan Kohara at (808) 960-3118; or via email at donovan.kohara@hawaiicounty.gov. They may also contact the Hawai‘i Police Department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.
