Hilo Murder Suspect Charged

Jarvis Rockwell Hung Leung Boots

A Big Island man has been charged with murder, along with several other crimes, stemming from multiple incidents this month.

Hawaiʻi Island police have charged 30-year-old Jarvis Rockwell Hung Leung Boots, of Mountain View, with murder, attempted murder and an array of firearm and weapons offenses related to two separate incidents this month in Hilo.

After conferring with County Prosecutors, detectives charged Boots with the following offenses:

Dec. 18 incident at Puainako Town Center in Hilo:

• Second-degree Murder
• Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Separate Felony
• Attempted first-degree Murder

Dec. 2 incident near the Pāpa‘ikou Transfer Station:

• Attempted first-degree Murder
• Two counts attempted second-degree Murder
• Two counts first-degree Terroristic Threatening
• Two counts Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Separate Felony
• Place to Keep Pistol
• Firearm on Highway

Firearms/Weapons Offenses:

• Place to Keep Pistol
• Firearm on Highway
• Five counts Ownership Prohibited
• Three counts Permit to Acquire
• Butterfly Knives Prohibited

On Friday morning, Dec. 18, shortly after 4 a.m., South Hilo Patrol officers responded to the Puainako Town Center in Hilo for a report of multiple gunshots and a male victim seated in a vehicle. The victim was transported to Hilo Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

The victim has been identified as 41-year-old Benjamin Craig Davidson, of Hilo. Davidson was a father of three young children and was employed at the Puainako Town Center where he was on-duty when he was slain.

An autopsy performed Friday morning, Dec. 18, concluded that Davidson died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head and upper body. The manner of death was determined to be homicide.

Following a two-day islandwide manhunt, Boots was arrested on Saturday evening, Dec. 19, shortly before 5:30 p.m. His vehicle was recovered as evidence and towed to the Hilo Police Station.

On Sunday morning, Dec. 20, detectives served a warrant on Boots’ vehicle and his Mountain View residence. Police recovered numerous firearms, ammunition, and other prohibited weapons.

On Dec. 2, shortly after 1 p.m., South Hilo Patrol officers responded to the area of the Pāpa‘ikou Transfer Station for a report of a man that had been shot multiple times. Police contacted two victims who reported being shot at by a male suspect who left the area in a vehicle prior to police arrival.

One of the victims, a 24-year-old male had multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported by ambulance to the Hilo Medical Center Emergency Room with life-threatening injuries. He later underwent surgery and is now recovering. The second victim, a 50-year-old male, reported hearing the initial gunshots and went to render aid to the man that was shot. He was then threatened and shot at by the suspect, but was not injured.

Although both of these cases appear random, detectives have identified an indirect link to both shootings and upon conferring with prosecutors, filed an additional attempted first-degree murder charge based on the events, and that meets the elements of the offense.

Boots remains in police custody. He is being held without bail pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 22, in South Hilo District Court.

Police ask anyone who may have information on the Dec. 2 incident in Pāpa‘ikou, or the Friday morning incident at the Puainako Town Center, to call the department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or Detective John Balberde at (808) 961-2386. They may also send an email to john.balberde@hawaiicounty.gov.