Puna man charged with murder indicted in connection with Hawaiian Paradise Park shooting
Hawai‘i County prosecutors secured an indictment for a Puna man charged with murder in connection with a shooting last month in Hawaiian Paradise Park.
County prosecutors announced 49-year-old Bryant Guevarra was indicted by a Hilo grand jury in relation to a Sept. 19 shooting at Hawaiian Paradise Park Community Center that resulted in the death of 41-year-old Jose Manuel Adame Romero.
Guevarra is charged with:
- Second-degree murder.
- Carrying or use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony.
- Place to keep pistol or revolver.
- Place to keep ammunition.
- First-degree reckless endangering.
Guevarra made his initial appearance in Hilo District Court following his arrest Sept. 22. He appeared Friday afternoon in Hilo Circuit Court for his return on the indictment warrant.
His bail was maintained at $1,823,000.
A jury trial is scheduled Feb. 8, 2027. Guevarra also was ordered to appear Oct. 26 for a hearing about defense counsel’s motion for bail reduction.
Second-degree murder carries a penalty of life in prison with the possibility of parole. Carrying or use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony is a Class A felony punishable by 20 years in prison.
The case was initiated by Hawai‘i Police Department Puna Patrol, with the felony investigation led by Detective Mike Matsumura with the department’s Area I Criminal Investigation Section.
Deputy Hawai‘i County Prosecuting Attorneys Jeff Malate and Woodrow Pengelly are prosecuting the case.
