Police identified the man taken into custody after a fatal shooting Monday in the Aloha Estates subdivision in upper Puna as 32-year-old Daris Paul Pacheco of Volcano.
According to Lt. Rio Amon-Wilkins of Hilo Criminal Investigations Section, Pacheco was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and is being held at the Hilo police cellblock. He hasn’t yet been charged.
Amon-Wilkins didn’t identify the victim, but said it was a neighbor of Pacheco’s he described as “a middle-aged male.”
Puna patrol officers responded Monday at about 12:37 p.m. to a report of a shooting on Nau Nani Road.
According to Amon-Wilkins, the shooting took place on property where the victim resided, and neighbors reported seeing Pacheco return to his home carrying a firearm.
“As a precaution, Puna Patrol made the decision to contact the (Special Response Team),” which is Hawaii Police Department’s SWAT team, Amon-Wilkins said. “SRT came out, the tactical team as well as negotiators, and after a short time, the suspect came out of his residence and was taken into custody.”
Police said Pacheco was arrested at 3:15 p.m.
Although some media reports described the situation as a “standoff,” Amon-Wilkins said Pacheco didn’t fire any shots at police.
Nearby residents were evacuated for safety concerns, police said. The evacuation was lifted after the suspect was arrested and the scene was rendered safe.
There were no other injuries reported during the incident.
No firearm had been recovered as of 5:30 p.m., according to Amon-Wilkins, who added that detectives were still at the scene Monday evening, and investigators were in the process of obtaining a search warrant on the property.
A search of court records by the Tribune-Herald turned up no prior felony convictions for Pacheco.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact Detective Casey Cabral at 961-2384 or email at casey.cabral@hawaiicounty.gov. Those who prefer anonymity may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
Email John Burnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
