Leilani Kim (Castro) was a recently divorced mother of three who had just started a new job at the Kona Hilton Hotel, now Royal Kona Resort, when she was found murdered in Kailua-Kona on Aug. 1, 1978. She was last seen at the end of her shift around 11 p.m. on July 31, 1978. When she did not appear for work the next day, staff checked on her and found her dead in her hotel room bathtub.
Kim was recently divorced from her husband John Sayin Kim and had moved from Hilo to Kona a few weeks prior to her death. Kim had just started a new job at the hotel two weeks prior to her death and was in training to be the assistant front desk manager for the hotel. She still had a residence in Hilo and worked and stayed at the hotel in Kona during the week.
Kim was known as an outgoing person and successful businesswoman who had owned a jewelry store in Hilo at the Hilo Mall. She had also worked for an insurance company in Hilo where she was a top sales agent. Just a few days prior to her murder she had attended her high school reunion.
