Hawai’i Island police officially charge 36-year-old Jacob Daniel Baker with several counts of murder

Hawai‘i Island police on Saturday, May 30, officially added several murder charges against alleged killer 36-year-old Jacob Daniel Baker of Pāhoa, who also faces a slew of other offenses linked to triple murders earlier this week in the Puna district on the Big Island.

A following multi-day manhunt for Baker that involved multiple Big Island, state and federal law enforcement agencies pushed the Puna community to the edge, with residents of the district and beyond scared, uneasy, angry, frustrated, grieving and with deep concern, worried there could be even more killings the longer he was on the lam.

Police on Saturday morning, after additional conference with Hawai‘i County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, officially charged Baker with:

• First-degree murder.
• 3 counts of second-degree murder.

Baker on Friday evening, May 29, after initial conference between police and county prosecutor’s office, was also charged with:

• First-degree burglary.
• Unauthorized control of propelled vehicle (auto theft).
• First-degree theft.
• 2 counts of fourth-degree criminal property damage.
• Fourth-degree theft.
• First-degree unauthorized entry into motor vehicle (car break-in).

His bail for those charges was set at $193,000.

The new official second-degree murder charges are directly connected with a killing spree in the Pāhoa and Kalapana areas that included murders of 69-year-old Robert Shine of Papaya Farms Road; 79-year-old Chitta Morse also of Papaya Farms Road, who lived only about 500 feet away from Shine’s property; and 69-year-old John Carse of Kalapana-Kapoho Road, whose home is near where Baker was eventually located.

The first-degree murder charge pertains to intentionally or knowingly killing two or more people.

No bail was set for Baker on the murder charges. He remains behind bars. Hawai‘i Police Department said he will not be eligible for release even if he makes bail for the property crimes.

His initial court appearance is scheduled Monday afternoon, June 1, in Hilo District Court.

The manhunt for Baker came to an end at about 2:45 p.m. Thursday, May 28, when the 36-year-old was found hiding in a small cave in the Kaimū Cove area of Kalapana in lower Puna.

He was subsequently arrested without incident.

Each of the men were found dead at their respective residences, having been killed under what police detectives determined were suspicious circumstances.

Officers responding at 8:47 p.m. Monday, May 25, to a home in the 14-000 block of Papaya Farms Road discovered Shine “partially submerged in a cement pond” in the front yard; however, his friend Don Hyatt and others in unofficial circles said it was Shine’s catchment tank where he was found.

Unexplained circumstances at the scene led detectives to suspect homicide in Shine’s death.

Less than 24 hours later, Hawai‘i Island police officers responded at 12:39 p.m. to Morse’s home in the 14-300 block of Papaya Farms Road, where he was found dead and with apparent — yet suspicious — injuries from blunt force trauma.

People who said on social media they were at Morse’s home when his body was discovered, however, claimed the organic fruit farmer was found on a bed surrounded by 55-gallon barrels, his face mutilated and with several fingers missing.

Then, more than just 9 hours later Tuesday at 9:58 p.m., officers responding to Carse’s home about 19 miles away from the locations of the first two murders — near the Highway 130 and Highway 137 junction in the 12-7800 block of Kalapana-Kapoho Road, also known as Red Road — found his body under additional suspicious circumstances.

An autopsy performed Wednesday indicated Carse died as a result of sharp force trauma, however the pathologist’s final ruling is pending standard toxicology results.

An autopsy performed Wednesday, May 27, on Shine’s body determined he died from strangulation. Another autopsy performed the same day on Carse’s body found that he died as a result of sharp force trauma; however, the pathologist’s final ruling was pending standard toxicology results.

Hawai‘i Police Department Area I Criminal Investigation Section continues investigating the three murders.

Anyone with information about the cases is urged to contact Detective Duane Rapoza Jr. at 808-961-2386 or via email at Duane.Rapoza@hawaiipolice.gov. They can also call the department’s nonemergency line at 808-935-3311.

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

Residents of Puna let out a giant collective sigh of relief Thursday afternoon following Baker’s arrest.

Social media lit up with comments of thanks for police and their work finding and bringing him into custody, as well as others simply saying they were glad they no longer had to worry that an alleged murderer was on the loose and some who said they once again could leave their homes without being scared or afraid one of their friends or family members could be hurt or worse.

“I know this tragedy deeply impacted our community, and we ask that you keep the family and friends of the victims in your thoughts and in your prayers,” Hawai‘i County Mayor Kimo Alameda said during a press conference with police following Baker’s arrest Thursday afternoon. “Today represents an important step forward toward justice and healing for everybody.”