KAILUA-KONA — Second-degree murder charges against the second of two brothers accused of killing a Holualoa coffee farmer in 2015 have been dropped.
On June 4, an order was filed in Kona Circuit Court dismissing with prejudice the charge filed against Marlon Miranda-Garcia for the alleged killing of his landlord Dolores “Lolo” Borja-Valle. Because it was dismissed with prejudice, the state cannot refile charges.
Miranda-Garcia and his brother, Eber Miranda-Garcia, were arrested for the murder in June 2017. They were tried together in September 2018. The jury in that case was deadlocked and a mistrial was declared.
The court granted severance of the case in December, meaning the brothers would be re-tried separately.
Eber Miranda-Garcia was found not guilty of second-degree murder following a weeks-long jury trial that wrapped up in March.
Marlon Miranda-Garcia had been scheduled to face jury trial this month, however, prosecutors motioned to dismiss the case on May 30, which was granted by Kona Circuit Court Judge Robert D.S. Kim.
Both men were held on $500,000 bail pending adjudication of their cases. Eber Miranda-Garcia was released after his acquittal. Marlon Miranda-Garcia was released upon Kim’s May 30 granting of the motion to dismiss.