Family desparate for answers a year and a half after disappearance of Pāhoa Purple Heart recipient

The last time anyone saw 34-year-old Kelly Gravitt was the evening of May 19, 2023.

Now nearly a year and a half later and still with no information or leads as to his whereabouts or what happened to the U.S. Army combat veteran from Pāhoa, his family is desparate for answers and remains deeply concerned for his well-being.

His father fears the worst.

“I know in my heart that he’s gone,” Geff Gravitt told Hawai‘i News Now. “And I just want justice for him. I want to bring him home.”

Kelly Gravitt was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division. He suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2010 while serving in Afghanistan.

He is a recipient of a Purple Heart, one of the most respected and recognized medals in the military that is awarded to members of the U.S. armed services wounded or killed during their time of service.

Detectives with the Hawai‘i Police Department Area I Criminal Investigation Section have conducted countless interviews and follow-ups since Gravitt’s disappearance and are once again renewing their request for any information about his disappearance.

They also are receiving help from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Gravitt was first reported last seen May 12 at Black Lava Vape in the Puna Kai Shopping Center located in the 15-000 block of Pāhoa Village Road in Pāhoa.

A witness later told detectives that he saw the 34-year-old combat veteran the evening of May 19 in the area of Pāhoa Village Road and Kauhale Street in downtown Pāhoa, about a mile southeast of the vape shop and shopping center.

Gravitt’s dad said his son loved going and hanging out with the crowd at Kahena Black Sand Beach, about 13 miles south of Pāhoa off Kalapana-Kapoho Road, and attending open mic night to play his didgeridoo at La Hiki Ola Kava Bar, just a couple of blocks away from where he was last seen before never being heard from again.

“He loved the community of Pāhoa,” Geff Gravitt told Hawai‘i News Now, adding his son felt like “those were his people.”

He told the Honolulu news station that his son was attacked by a biker gang in Pāhoa before going missing.

The distraught father has a few theories of what happened to his son, including “hundreds of stories of his murder, and now he’s thrown out a lava tube alive, stuff, you know.”

“But I don’t, I don’t know which rabbit hole’s the truth,” Geff Gravitt said. “So it’s really hard.”

Kelly Gravitt is 6 feet tall, about 180 pounds and Caucasian, with brown hair, blue eyes and when he was last seen had a beard. He also has several tattoos on his face and neck.

Anyone who might have information about his disappearance or that could lead to finding him is urged to contact authorities one of three ways:

• Call the Hawai‘i Police Department non-emergency line at 808-935-3311.
• Call the Hawai‘i Police Department Area I Criminal Investigation Section at 808-961-2255.
• Call the Federal Bureau of Investigation Honolulu Field Office at 808-566-4300.

Those who prefer to remain anonymous can call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 808-961-8300.