Preliminary Hearing For Krause Cousins Delayed

***Updated with information on the identity of remains found Friday.***

Two Kurtistown men accused of killing missing Puna resident Dante Gilman will be waiting longer for their preliminary hearing on the murder charges.

Claude Krause, 30, and his 19-year-old cousin, Kawena Krause, made their second brief appearance in court today.

Both suspects pleaded not guilty Tuesday during their initial appearance. At that time, District Judge Harry Freitas scheduled their preliminary hearing for today.

But in Freitas’ courtroom today, the cousins’ court-appointed lawyers asked for additional time to prepare for their cases.

Christopher Bridges, attorney for Kawena Krause, told Freitas that prosecutors had presented him this morning with additional documentation including “several hours of video tape” which he needed to review.

Claude Krause’s attorney, Kanani Laubach, agreed with Bridge’s position.

The judge questioned both Krauses as to whether they were willing to waive their legal right to have a preliminary hearing within 48 hours, and both said they were.

Freitas scheduled the hearing for Jan. 29 at 2 p.m.

The video tape Bridges referred to is likely connected to documents filed by police with the court saying that the two cousins were recorded killing Gilman on a video surveillance system at Gilman’s Kurtistown home.

According to the documents, the footage show a confrontation followed by what appeared to be Claude Krause shooting Gilman with a rifle. The said it also showed what appeared to be Kawena Krause choking Gilman until his body went limp.

The video also contained images of what appeared to be Gilman’s lifeless body being dragged out of the camera’s view.

A third person, apparently a male minor, was also present, the police documents said.

Kawena Krause has been charged with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, second-degree theft and use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony.

Claude Gilman has been charged with similar offenses.

Both are being held without bail.

Dante Gilman. HPD photo.

Police have been searching for the 44-year-old Gilman since he was reported missing on Jan. 10. At the time police reported that Gilman had not been seen since Dec. 30.

Last Friday the search took police to an area off Stainback Highway where the decomposing remains of a body were found.

Police said those remains today were determined to be those of Shayne Kobayashi, who police yesterday reported as missing from his Pahoa home since Dec. 11.

A second body was found in another area off the remote roadway on Tuesday following an early-morning anonymous tip to police.

Police said the second body has not yet been identified or the cause of death determined. An autopsy will be conducted Friday.