Police have charged a suspect with the Thanksgiving night slaying of a Hilo man.
Police have charged a suspect with the Thanksgiving night slaying of a Hilo man.
At 6 p.m. Sunday, 34-year-old Kalani Lono Kaohimaunu of Pahoa was charged with second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, being a felon in possession of a firearm and illegally carrying a firearm.
Kaohimaunu’s bail was set at $1 million. He remains in custody at the Hilo police cellblock pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Monday.
Kaohimaunu is accused of the shooting death of 39-year-old Keola Penovaroff late Thursday night outside Penovaroff’s Kawailani Street home. The victim was found unresponsive outside his home with a gunshot wound and was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 10:57 p.m. Thursday.
An autopsy on Penovaroff’s body is scheduled for Tuesday.
Witnesses reported hearing gunshots and said a car fled from the crime scene. A neighbor who spoke Friday to the Tribune-Herald on the condition of anonymity said he heard two gunshots about five to 10 seconds apart. The neighbor said the shots sounded as though they were fired from a medium caliber handgun, possibly a 9-millimeter or .380 caliber.
Police issued a wanted bulletin naming Kaohimaunu, a convicted felon who was released from prison in March after serving a 10-year sentence for terroristic threatening and a firearms offense.
He was arrested without incident at 10:15 a.m. Saturday on Ala Lokelani Street in Kalapana by detectives from the Hilo Criminal Investigations Section and officers from the Special Enforcement Unit.
Detectives took a dark blue 4-door Honda sedan into evidence.
Also arrested was 52-year-old Charity Kumia of Keaau, whom police said was with Kaohimaunu, on suspicion of altering a motor vehicle serial number and fraudulent use of license plates. She remained in custody but had not been charged as of Sunday night.
Police ask that anyone who may have witnessed the shooting call Detective Todd Pataray at 961-2382 or email him at todd.pataray@hawaiicounty.gov. Those who prefer anonymity may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.