Media Release

Big Island police are investigating the death of a 57-year-old Hilo man who was found in the downtown Hilo area.

On Thursday (February 3) around 7:23 a.m., South Hilo Patrol officers and Hawai’i Fire Department personnel responded to a report of an unresponsive man in a private parking lot off Keawe Street, where they discovered Roy Lemon with an apparent head injury. Rescue personnel took Lemon to Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 8:27 a.m.

Detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section are continuing this investigation, which is classified as a coroner’s inquest.

Police have not ruled out foul play. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday to determine the exact cause of death. 

Police ask that anyone with information about this case call Detective Reed Mahuna at 961-2384.

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.