A suspect has been charged with murder and numerous other offenses in connection with the deaths of three elderly men in Hawaii. Authorities announced on Sunday that Jacob Baker, 36, from Pahoa, Hawaii, faces charges including one count of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder.
The charges stem from an alleged triple homicide that occurred in a remote area on Hawaii’s Big Island. Baker also faces multiple charges of burglary, criminal property damage, theft, and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, as per the Hawaii Police Department.
According to police, Baker is being held without bond regarding the murder charges. His arrest occurred Thursday after a search involving state and federal authorities. Authorities described Baker as “armed and extremely dangerous.” The suspect was charged concerning the three killings that occurred over two days.
The police identified the victims as Robert Shine and John Carse, both 69, along with a 79-year-old man, whose identity has not been released to the public. All were found deceased at residences in Pahoa.
Authorities previously mentioned that Shine’s body was discovered partly submerged in a cement pond, close to where the 79-year-old’s body was found, reported by the Associated Press. Carse was found approximately 19 miles away.
Baker was apprehended in Kalapana, around 10 miles from Pahoa. His capture followed reports from video surveillance showing a man matching his description hiding in a vacant lot.
Witnesses reported seeing a man “repeatedly ducking down as passing traffic approached,” according to the police. Eventually, authorities found Baker hiding in a small cave on a nearby property, stated Hawaii Police Chief Reed Mahuna during a news conference.
The police chief did not provide details on how Baker was identified as the suspect or his motives for the alleged killings. Mahuna mentioned that investigators have not established connections among the victims, apart from two living near each other.