Manhunt in Hawaii after three individuals are discovered useless inside 48 hours
Police in Hawaii are searching for a 36-year-old man, described as “armed and extremely dangerous,” after three people were found dead within a two-day span.
Jacob Baker is wanted by police after the bodies of three men, including two who were 69 years old and one who was 79, were found on Monday and Tuesday in the Puna area of the island of Hawaii, also known as the Big Island.
“These are a tragic series of events and our thoughts are with those who are grieving at this time,” Hawaii Police Chief Reed Mahuna said at a news conference Wednesday. “The Hawaii Police Department understands the fear and concerns incidents like this bring to our community.”
Mahuna said authorities were deploying “significant resources and personnel” in trying to find Baker, of Pahoa, Hawaii, but declined to provide details on the search. Bringing Baker into custody is the department’s “No. 1 priority,” Mahuna said.
Authorities said they had not identified a motive but were confident Baker was involved in all three homicides. Mahuna did not release information on how police identified Baker as a suspect or what evidence may connect him to the killings.
Mahuna said Baker is known to police, but did not elaborate.
On Monday at around 8 p.m., police found a 69-year-old man at a residence partially submerged in a cement pond, Mahuna said. Police did not initially know whether foul play was involved, but preliminary autopsy results showed the death was a homicide, the chief said.
On Tuesday, a 79-year-old man was found dead with apparent blunt force injuries shortly after 12:30 p.m., Mahuna said. The killing happened about 400 to 500 feet (122 to 152 meters) from the first homicide, he said.
Later Tuesday, at around 10 p.m., police responded to a property about 19 miles (31 kilometers) from the first two killings on a welfare check request and found a 69-year-old man dead with injuries, Mahuna said.
Officials were asking the public to report any information about Baker and any suspicious activities in the areas of the homicides to police, and urged people not to approach Baker.
Source: independent.co.uk
