An autopsy is scheduled for today to determine the exact cause of death of a 37-year-old Hilo man whose body was found Saturday afternoon in the Wailuku River below Rainbow Falls in Hilo.
Police say they know the man’s identity, but aren’t releasing it to the public pending notification of next of kin.
According to police, shortly before 2 p.m., officers and Hawaii Fire Department personnel responded to Rainbow Falls State Park after receiving a report of a body floating face down at the bottom of the falls.
“We’re still doing some interviews with acquaintances, but at this point, we have no reason to suspect foul play,” Lt. Rio Amon-Wilkins of the Hilo Criminal Investigations Section said Monday. “An autopsy will probably be able to rule out foul play. Depending on injuries, it may be hard to determine accidental fall versus intentional jump.”
Asked if the man entered the river below the falls, Amon-Wilkins replied, “He was not dressed for swimming.”
According to Amon-Wilkins, there were no known witnesses to the apparent drowning.
As for how long the man’s body had been in the water, Amon-Wilkins said, “I would estimate that he had been there only a day or so. I’m not sure. It’s only an estimation.”
The waterfall is about 85 feet in height and the river can be treacherous — Wailuku means “waters of destruction” in Hawaiian. Flash flooding during wet weather, which Hilo hasn’t seen much of lately, can make the river even more dangerous.
It was during a very wet Thanksgiving holiday when a suburban San Diego couple, 61-year-old George Novinger and his 62-year-old wife, Gladys, were swept over Rainbow Falls on Nov. 25, 2017, and drowned after attempting to cross the river just above the falls, despite warning signs posted by the state.
The investigation into the Hilo man’s death currently is classified as a coroner’s inquest.
Police ask anyone who might have relevant information to call the department’s nonemergency number at 935-3311 or Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
