Captain Cook man charged with kidnapping, terroristic threatening after police standoff with his 2-year-old

Earl-Lewis Camacho of Captain Cook was arrested and charged with multiple offenses following a standoff with Hawai‘i Police Department on May 19, in which he barricaded himself in a South Kona home with firearms and his 2-year-old child, Hawaiʻi County Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen announced on Friday.

Officers recovered three rifles — a Winchester .22 Magnum, a Marlin Firearms Co. .22 caliber and a Stevens Model 325-C — and ammunition at the residence on the 85-4000 block of Hawaiʻi Belt Road, according to police reports.  

Police had responded to the home at 8:45 p.m. on Tuesday after reports of a dispute between Camacho and his 25-year-old girlfriend.

“Police learned that Camacho had allegedly assaulted the woman and was armed with a firearm while holding their 2-year-old daughter,” according to a press release from police on May 20.

During the incident, Camacho repeatedly yelled at officers to shoot him and was observed pointing what appeared to be three different-looking firearms at officers and at the child he was holding, police said.

The crisis negotiation team, along with the Hawai‘i Police Department’s Special Response Team, was called out, and Camacho surrendered to police without incident at around 11:18 p.m.

The 2-year-old child was unharmed and reunited with her mother.

The 43-year-old Camacho was scheduled to make his initial appearance in Kona District Court on Friday afternoon, but he didn’t appear because he remained at Kona Community Hospital under  observation for undisclosed injuries. He is expected to be discharged in the near future, according to the prosecuting attorney’s press release.

The District Court set ball at $711,000, and rescheduled the arraignment hearing for Tuesday, May 26. Prosecutors have filed a motion requesting to detain Camacho without bail. 

Camacho is charged with kidnapping, carrying or use of firearm in the commission of a separate felony, felony abuse of a family or household member (abuse in the presence of a minor), two counts of misdemeanor abuse of a family or household member, two counts of first degreee terroristic threatening (dangerous  instrument, firearm), three counts of ownership or possession of firearm prohibited (prior felony convictions), and ownership or possession of ammunition prohibited (prior felony convictions).  

The most serious offenses carry a penalty of a 20-year prison term.

Anyone having information to assist local law enforcement should  call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.