Man Charged in Connection to Puna Murder Investigation

A Puna man has been officially charged in connection to the death of a 75-year-old Mountain View man.

After conferring with county prosecutors, Hawai‘i County Police charged 55-year-old Michael Cecil Lee with second-degree murder. The charge stems from an incident on Dec. 4 when Puna patrol officers responded to a report of a missing elderly man in Orchid Isle Estates subdivision only to find him dead several hundred yards from his home.

An autopsy performed on Dec. 6 determined the victim, Shingo Honda, died as a result of multiple injuries caused by blunt force trauma.

Lee is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail pending his initial court appearance scheduled for today in Hilo District Court.

Police ask anyone who may have information about this incident or who may have come into contact with Lee since Dec. 4 to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 808-935-3311 or Detective Todd Pataray at 808-961-2382 or todd.pataray@hawaiicounty.gov.