HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
HILO CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION SECTION
DETECTIVE LEO K. JITCHAKU
PHONE: 961-2383
JUNE 5, 1999
F-96184
MEDIA RELEASE UPDATE
Police have identified the decomposed body recovered Wednesday (June 2, 1999) from Waipio Valley as that of Matthew Joel Peak, 22, a resident of the valley.
Preliminary autopsy results have failed to determine the cause of Peak’s death, and complete autopsy results are awaiting further tests.
Hilo Criminal Investigation Section detectives have classified the case as a coroner’s inquest and are continuing their investigation.
Responding to a report Tuesday that a possible body had been discovered in the isolated valley, Hamakua patrol officers found the partially buried body near Waipio’s black sand beach.
Hilo CIS detectives excavated the body from the valley at 1:30 p.m. the next day.
Anyone with information about the circumstances of Peak’s death is asked to call CIS Detective Leo Jitchaku at 961-2383.
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