51-year-old man suspected of murder and shooting now subject of manhunt on Kauaʻi

Kauaʻi Police Department is searching for 51-year-old William “Billy” Sinclair, a Kīlauea resident considered to be armed and dangerous and wanted in connection with an early morning homicide Saturday, June 6, and separate shooting incident just a few hours later.

Officers responded at about 12:50 a.m. Saturday to a report of a suspicious death in Hanalei. During the course of the investigation, the victim’s death was determined to be a homicide.

Police were then dispatched at about 4:45 a.m. Saturday for reports of gunshots in the Kīlauea area. Officers learned a Kīlauea resident sustained minor injuries after being grazed by a bullet and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Sinclair was identified as a person of interest in both investigations.

Officers later received information that Sinclair might have been at a residence in the area.

Kīlauea Road, between between Kolo Road and Kaikala Street, was closed and nearby residents evacuated just before 8:30 a.m. Saturday as officers searched the neighborhood. The roads were reopened and residents allowed to return home as of about 6:15 p.m., nearly 10 hours later, and Sinclair not located.

He is 5-foot-9 with a medium build, brown eyes and black hair. He is also known to frequent the North Shore.

The public is advised not to approach Sinclair if he is seen and to contact law enforcement immediately.

Anyone with information about Sinclair’s whereabouts is urged to contact Kauaʻi Police Dispatch at 808-241-1711. Those who might have information related to the investigation are encouraged to contact Det. Caspillo at 808-241-1680.

People who want to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers Kaua‘i at 808-246-8300, submit a tip at the Crime Stoppers Kaua‘i website or use the Crime Stoppers Kaua‘i P3 Tips mobile app, which can be downloaded from Google Play on Android devices and The App Store on Apple devices.

No additional information is available at this time. This remains an active investigation.

The search for a murder suspect at the northwest end of the state comes just a little more than a week after the end of a manhunt on the Big Island for a person suspected of killing three men in their late 60s and 70s who lived in the Puna district.

Jacob Baker was located and arrested without incident the afternoon of May 28 in the Kaimū area of Kalapana. The 36-year-old Pāhoa man now faces several murder charges in connection with the deaths of 69-year-old Robert Shine, 79-year-old Chitta Morse and 69-year-old John Carse.

Baker made his initial court appearance June 1 in Hilo District Court. His bail was denied and the court granted a request by his public defender for an examination to determine his mental fitness.

Baker is is expected to be back in court at 10 a.m. Aug. 11 for a status hearing connected with the examination.