2 charged in Puna kidnapping

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Nikki Nasario
Joshua Sosa
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Hawaii Island police have charged two suspects in connection with the kidnapping incident in Puna.

At 12:31 p.m., Dec. 30, officers responded to a call of a kidnapping from a Hee Street address in Hawaiian Beaches. Witnesses reported a 31-year-old woman staying at the residence was struck in the face with a tire iron before being forced into the trunk of a sedan at gunpoint.

The victim was also found later that afternoon when she was dropped off at the Hee Street residence. She was taken by ambulance to the Hilo Medical Center where she was treated and released for non-life-threatening injuries.

The burnt remnants of the suspects’ vehicle were discovered at the Lava Tree State Park in Pahoa Tuesday afternoon.

At 2:15 p.m., Wednesday, 26-year-old Nikki Nasario and 25-year-old Joshua Sosa were arrested for this incident and their outstanding warrants following a traffic stop by patrol officers on Highway 130 near the Ainaloa Boulevard intersection in Pahoa.

At 8:45 a.m. Friday, police charged Nasario and Sosa with kidnapping, second-degree assault, and first-degree terroristic threatening. Their bail has been set at $25,000 each and are both being held at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center for unrelated charges as well as their initial appearance for this case Monday afternoon in District Court.

The two other suspects previously arrested in this case, 34-year-old Paul Alisa, and 32-year-old Claude Carvalho Jr. were released pending further investigation.

Anyone who may have information about this incident is asked to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or Detective Todd Pataray of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at 961-2382 or Todd.Pataray@hawaiicounty.gov.