Update: Pāhoa woman officially charged for allegedly strangling man to death after she says he tried to kill her

Update at 6:21 p.m. April 26: Hawai‘i Island police detectives charged 42-year-old Patricia Ann McConnell of Pāhoa with murder after a 45-year-old Pāhoa man died during a reported domestic dispute between the two of them late the night of April 24 in Puna.

McConnell was charged Friday with:

• Second-degree murder.
• Third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug.

Her bail was set at $1.5 million. She remains in custody pending her initial court appearance April 28 in Hilo District Court.

The victim was identified as Patrick Gideon John-Bruce Dalrymple-Collins.

McConnell called police dispatch sometime about 11:25 p.m. April 24, saying she and Dalrymple-Collins were involved in a domestic dispute, during which he reportedly tried to kill her, she allegedly strangled him and he was dead.

Officers with Hawai‘i Police Department’s Puna Patrol upon responding to a residence on Lehua Road in Nānāwale Estates found Dalrymple-Collins seated in the driver’s seat of a vehicle, slumped over, not breathing, with no pulse and his face purple.

McConnell was arrested shortly after at the scene and transported to Pāhoa Police Station for processing. She was later transferred to the East Hawai‘i Detection Facility in Hilo.

An autopsy was performed Friday morning on Dalrymple-Collins’ body.

The forensic pathologist ruled the manner of the Pāhoa man’s death was homicide by strangulation.

Original post at 2:55 p.m. April 25: A 42-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly murdering a man whom she told police dispatchers had tried to kill her first before she strangled him Thursday night in Puna.

Patricia Ann McConnell was arrested late the night of April 24 for second-degree murder and third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug.

Hawai‘i Island police continue to investigate the death, which occurred during an alleged domestic dispute in Nānāwale Estates.

Officers with Hawai‘i Police Department’s Puna Patrol responded at 11:25 p.m. on Thursday to a residence on Lehua Road after a woman, later identified as McConnell, called police dispatch and reported a 45-year-old man at the residence was not breathing.

She said they were involved in a domestic dispute. He tried to kill her, she strangled him and he was dead.

Responding officers found the man slumped over and seated in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. He was not breathing, no pulse was detected and his face appeared purple.

Officers immediately administered Narcan to the man; however, it was ineffective. They then attempted to use an automated external defibrillator, but because of the victim’s condition, the device was not advised.

Hawai‘i Fire Department personnel took over life-saving measures when they arrived at the residence and subsequently transported the victim by ambulance to Hilo Benioff Medical Center.

He was pronounced dead at 11:57 p.m. while on the way to the Hilo hospital.

McConnell was arrested at the scene and transported to the Pāhoa Police Station for processing. She was later transferred to the East Hawai‘i Detection Facility in Hilo.

A zip-packet containing a white crystalline substance, which presumptively tested positive as methamphetamine, was also found in McConnell’s pants pocket upon her arrest.

Hawai‘i Police Department Area I Criminal Investigation Division personnel responded to the scene to continue the investigation.

An autopsy was performed the morning of April 25 to determine the man’s exact cause of death.

Anyone who might have information about this incident is asked to contact Detective David Po‘ohina at 808-961-2385 or via email at David.Poohina@hawaiicounty.gov.

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