KAILUA-KONA — Four people were arrested on murder charges in connection to the death of a 69-year-old man found in a Captain Cook coffee field nearly two years ago.
KAILUA-KONA — Four people were arrested on murder charges in connection to the death of a 69-year-old man found in a Captain Cook coffee field nearly two years ago.
The body of Dolores Borja Valle of Holualoa, also known as “Lolo,” was found Aug. 9, 2015. According to Big Island police, Valle died from sharp and blunt force trauma to the head.
Three brothers and a woman thought to be a girlfriend of one of the men were taken into custody Monday and Tuesday.
On Monday afternoon, warrants were issued for the arrests of Holualoa residents Marlon Miranda-Garcia, Eber Miranda-Garcia, Himer Miranda-Garcia and Jessilyn Lokelani Hoohuli.
Hoohuli, 32, was taken into custody Monday at Uncle Billy’s Kona Bay Hotel in Kailua-Kona.
Marlon Miranda-Garcia, 24, and Eber Miranda-Garcia, 27, also were arrested Monday at a job site in the Kawaihae area.
Himer Miranda-Garcia, 35, turned himself in at just after midnight Tuesday at the Kona police station.
The four suspects are being detained for suspicion of murder in the second degree and accomplice to murder in the second degree. Police have 48 hours to file official charges against the Miranda-Garcia brothers, all of Honduras, and Hoohuli.
Valle worked on the Mountain Thunder coffee farm for 15 years. Trent Bateman, former owner of the company, said Valle was one of the hardest workers and most loyal people he’d ever met.
“I got him his citizenship here,” Bateman said.
Bateman said Valle led the north side department as a cherry buyer. He also managed clientele and managed farms in North Kona.
Valle’s death was a shock.
“It was a heavy loss to us mentally and financially,” Bateman said.
Authorities say Valle was originally from El Salvador.
At the time of the 2015 incident, Hawaii Police Department Maj. Robert Wagner said investigators didn’t have the evidence to obtain warrants to make arrests in the case.
The investigation, among other things, involved DNA evidence.
Email Tiffany DeMasters at tdemasters@westhawaiitoday.com.